Re: [Harp-L] covers (was comb material)

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

While you're skeptical, the belief in the tonal effect of covers is
easily as widespread as the belief in the tonal qualities of comb
materials. Both diatonic and chromatic players have expressed this
belief.

I was present at Vern's comb materials test in 1997 and contributed a
plexiglass comb to the proceedings. I couldn't identify any of the comb
materials, but as Blackie Schackner and I were talking after the
conclusion of the listening portion, someone played a chromatic. Then
they played another chromatic that sounded so different to my ears that
I broke off the conversation mid-sentence. Evidently there was an
announcement about some difference between the two covers. Not having
paid attention during the announcement, I missed the details, but I
sure heard the difference.

Is cover shaping an unverified belief like comb materials? Is it
verifiable? I'm not inclined to dismiss it if only because hand shaping
of tone is so effective that there is a real possibility that cover
shape has a similar effect.

Perhaps the next big test at SPAH could involve otherwise identical
diatonics and/or chromatics, with differently shaped covers (height,
flaring at the back, side cutouts, extending the full length of the
harp as opposed to ending with side tabs at the farthest extent of the
reeds, etc.).

Winslow

--- Captron100@xxxxxxx wrote:

> In a message dated 4/23/2007 7:18:15 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> I very much doubt that anyone could detect in a "blind" comparison
> any  
> difference in sound between otherwise-identical diatonics having
> different  covers. 
>  I am skeptical about the bending of flanges at the rear of  diatonic
> covers 
> or holes in the covers having any effect on loudness. 
>  
> 
> Interesting, thanks.  Evidently others disagree.  Just the  other
> day, a 
> poster opined that the lack of open sides on Seydel's new  stainless
> steel harps 
> was a "huge" detriment.  He followed up by saying  that he employs
> the Marine 
> Band type covers to do a certain kind of trumpet  sounding wah - wah
> effect 
> (which i'd like to hear).  The implication was  that he couldn't play
> that effect 
> without the open sided covers.
> ron
>  
> 
> 
> 
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