RE: [Harp-L] Blow Choking on a Special 20

["Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

> I have a Special 20 in the key of C that won't allow me to ascend it 
> quickly without choking. To start on the 1 hole blow and rise quickly to 
> the 6 hole blow, with anything but light pressure and volume, results in 
> choking of the intermediate notes. It doesn't sound crescendo like at all. 
> I have another, or in fact several other Special 20's in C, new ones, but 
> this one is unique. Is this a common symptom, or at least one I can expect 
> over time? Why does it happen?
> Reg
> Tony Renshaw
> Sydney Australia

It's a symptom of reed offsets (gaps) that are too small for your style of 
playing.  SP20s often have one or two blow reeds that I have to open 
slightly to prevent choking.  A rough test for each reed is to blow a sharp 
little "tu-tu" down its hole (or a sharp little "du-du" up the hole for 
draws).  That'll soon show up choking reeds and tell you which ones need 
bigger gaps.  Hold the harp up to the light with the covers off and you can 
usually see which reeds have slightly smaller gaps than the others.


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