Re: [Harp-L] Loud?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sacking the valves totally will make the instrument unplayably leaky.

Do you like the tone of any of the chromatic players you have listened
to? Toots Thielemans, Larry Adler, Stevie Wonder, for example?

If their tone sounds as bad to your ear as you describe, then perhaps
you just don't like the sound of the chromatic. if their sound does
appeal, then I would make two suggestions:

1) work on your technique

2) work to make your chromatics a bit more airtight (mouthpiece/slide
combination, embossing reed slots and setting gaps, ensuring snug and
flat fitting of reedplates to comb and to back of slide assembly,
covers properly aligned).

Chromatics can be played loudly and can be optimized for loud playing,
but it may require some adjustment of technique if your primary
instrument has been unvalved diatonic. If you're a hard hitter on
diatonic, you may need to ease up on the attack - but no need to let up
on the airflow as long as you are using oral resonance that does not
fight the reed's resonant frequency.

Winslow

--- Daniel Bernard <danielbernard13@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I really don't like Chromatics.  The concept of playing a chromatic
> appeals to me, all those positions and keys.  But whenever I try to
> play one, I really don't like the sound that comes out of it. 
> Without any reed interaction they sound like my son's guitar pro
> computer program playing music.  For as big and expensive as the
> chromatic is, I am remarkably unskilled at getting any kind of volume
> out of it.  I've tried half valving a diatonic with disastrous
> results.  I hated it.  I'm convinced that I can tweak any harmonica. 
>    I own some used ones that I picked up with the intention of
> working on them.  I really don't have any idea as to which direction
> to go.  I like loud, and I like tonal interaction.  My favorite harps
> so far are the Seydel valved octave and the Hohner Autovalve.  I can
> figure out the just intonation if I make up my mind to turn it
> into a chord instrument.  What I can't figure out is how to make them
> loud and pleasant sounding. Does anyone have any ideas as to how I
> should tweak my chromatics so that I can stand to listen to them
> while I'm playing them?  Got any suggestions?  Sack the valves and
> double the reedplates maybe.  
> 
> 
> 
>        
>
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