[Harp-L] Re: robert bonfiglio plays without mikes

[Snaruhn@xxxxxxx]

Hi,

Randy quoted a letter from Robert where Robert wrote how he plays 
accoustically with orchestras. I found the most essential passage
was this one:

> Classical music is a lot about playing with power and having a big 
> sound to carry.  You can do it on the harmonica but it takes a long 
> time to develop the sound, one can play faster if you play softly, 
> so playing fast and loud requires a lot of work. <

Absolutely, and it is exactly corresponding the problems harp players 
are fighting with when they try to find the optimal offset (for Newbies: the
distance of reed tip - plate surface). If the offset is too small the 
vibration 
can´t start or you only can play softly. Is the offset bigger you can play 
louder but is it too big the airstream chokes the vibration again.  

That goes also for the playing speed. If you want to play faster than the
reed´s reaction time allows the reed´s answer may be: time is motion, so, 
if you have no time - I won´t move.

In other words: Same as there´s no optimal harp or optimal offset there´s 
no optimal relation of loudness and playing speed. It all depends on the 
technic the player wants to apply.

So, Robert, I´ve problems to understand your:  

                      > playing fast and loud requires a lot of work. <

I´d rather said:  playing fast and loud requires to change physics a little.
Hmmmh, how had you managed that? 

Siegfried