[Harp-L] Building better harps - How?

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <Captron100@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, September 10, 2005 11:20 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Building better harps - How?

> In a message dated 9/10/2005 2:07:30 PM Eastern Standard Time,
> harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx writes:

> I've  been thinking about the whole harp tweaking, harp customization
> subject
> and  it's occurred to me the if a good number of us got together and had
> a
> workshop everybody could really go home with some useful skills and  info.

Before such a meeting could be held productively, we need an agenda.
Without it, the meeting could generate a lot of conversation and would be
fun, but could fail to accomplish its purpose.

1.0 We should agree what "better" means and how to measure it.  What are the
properties of  harp performance and their values that constitute harp
quality?  Is "best" for me also "best" for you?
  1.1 Different people should be able to take a group of harps and rank
them good, OK, and bad for each property.  If the rankings cannot be made
consistently without knowledge of the pedigree (e.g. what modifications have
been made and by whom), then the whole effort is useless.

 2  If we can collectively demonstrate the ability to recognize quality of
harp performance independent of pedigree, then we must analyze them to
determine what mechanical differences account for the differences in
performance. This may require measuring instruments.
      2.1 Pitch.  An electronic tuner works well.
      2.2 Loudness.  DB meter.
      2.3 Air pressures at which the reed begins to speak and chokes. A
manometer to measure pressures with a rubber connector for the harp
mouthpiece.
      2.4  Reed gap.  I have made an instrument that uses a laser to
measure gap.
      2.5  Reed curvature.  Anybody have any ideas about how to measure
curvature?
      2.6 There may be other customizing details that need to be measured.
      2.7  Air flow.  It whould be possible to make a positive displacement
instrument.

3. Then we must arrive at the best method for modifying/custumizing the
harp.  If we know what the important mechanical details are and can measure
them, then the actual customizing should be straightforward.

4. The above are "bottom up" methods that assume that we can figure
everything out on our own.  I doubt that many customizers are going to
describe the proprietary methods that they use in a way that will permit us
students to equal their performance. We are going to have to figure it out
for ourselves.

5.  Our goal should be to make the optimizing of harmonica performance a
science instead of an art!

The above assumes that the harmonica is a machine whose operation can be
understood by objective measurement and analysis.  Those who depend solely
on their ears will have problems with this approach. What do you think?

Vern
Visit my harmonica website: http://www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com