Re: [Harp-L] chrom-style bends on a diatonic

[Frank Nims <howbah@xxxxxxxxx>]

Great stuff!  Thanks!
   
  Apparently I am sort of on the right track, or one right track anyhow.  Cool.
   
  Thanks again!
  
Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
  =====On an unvalved solo tuned diatonic: 

Draw 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 will bend down one semitone.

Draw 2, 6, and 10 will bend down less than a semitone, but enough to
sound like a change in pitch.

Draw 4, 8, and 12 will bend down only microtonally (i.e. a small amount
that has expressive qualities but is too small to measure in terms of
semitones)..

Blow 4, 8, and 12 will bend down less than a semitone, but enough to
sound like a change in pitch.

The remaining blow notes will bend down only microtonally.

=====On a fully valved solo tuned diatonic, all reeds are valved and
all notes will bend down at least a semitone. They may bend much
farther depending on reed adjustment and player skill.

=====On a partially valved instrument you would only valve some of the
reeds strategically. For instance, if you like the sound of the
dual-reed semitones bends on Draw 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11, you would put
valves on the draw reed but not on the blow reed, so that the blow reed
could contribute to the bend. But you'd probably valve all the other
reeds so that you could get them to bend at least a semitone.

=====One thing to remember: A valve always affects the reed opposite
the reed you are valving. A valve on a draw reed sends all the airflow
to the blow reed and thereby affects the blow reed's tone, volume, and
bending ability, while a valve on a a blow reed sends all the airflow
to the draw reed and affects the draw reed's tone, volume, and bending
ability.

Winslow



--- Frank Nims wrote:

> appreciate the replies!
> 
> there is a lot of material on harp-l re valving - usually
> half-valving - a richter harp, but I didn't find anything about
> trying it on solo tuned harps.
> 
> maybe the title I picked is misleading - I don't want to _sound_
> like a chrom: I want to be able to bend every note, from bottom to
> top, blow and draw - of the C scale, since that's all solo tuneds are
> available in - a half-step down.
> 
> I don't mind differences in tone - a step-&-a-half draw bend on 3
> has a different tonality from an unbent blow 6, & I'm pretty much OK
> with that.
> 
> And I don't mind the work that might be involved - well, actually I
> do, the picture of me sitting at the kitchen table dripping glue
> everywhere while valves/windsavers fly all around the room every time
> someone opens the door is not an attractive one. Still I wouldn't
> mind giving it a try, as long as the basic theory is correct.
> 
> So ... is it?
> 
> 
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