Re: [Harp-L] godd or bad haprs? - hard playing is good when done right

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I have to chime in and agree with Rob and fjm (while still agreeing
with the Iceman).For all my talk of relaxation, I am a very loud
acoustic player with a strong attack - when you're the lone harmonica
player among 40+ fiddlers, you learn how to stand out.

That said, I break relatively few reeds (more than I'd like, but even
one dead reed is an unhappy occurrence). It's a matter of efficiency in
what you feed the harp. Give it what it can handle and what it can
translate into sound. If you give it more than it can handle, or if you
give it energy that it can't radiate by vibrating at a pitch it can
handle (hence unpleasant squeaking sounds), that's when you get reeds
locking up, going out of tune, and breaking.

Starting from a point of relaxation, you learn how far you can push a
reed with attack and with sustained volume of air. You learn how to get
the stylistic effect within the limits of what the harp can handle -
and with most efficient use of your own physical energy. Be friendly to
the harp and (to borrow a phrase from Will Scarlett) friendly to the
mammal.

Winslow

--- Rob Paparozzi <Chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Iceman,
> 
>     Breathing and attack IS everything, I agree wholeheartedly. If
> the original poster is ruining his harps after a few songs then he
> probaly is blowing and drawing inproperly. No, I don't blow out my
> harps after a few songs. My approach goes from very subtle and soft
> to...triple Forte-->LOUD.
> 
> To me a versatile player should be able to hit either spectrum
> without ruining their instrument.
> 
> I guess what I'm really trying to say is you can't "baby" your axe.
> YOU are in control, if you want volume + passion at a given point in
> your performance, you have to hit it....BUT use the proper technique
> in doing so...Control your Volume using your Diaphragm and Throat and
> Hands accordingly and a GOOD instrument will respond. It took me many
> years to develop this approach without FRYING my harps.
> 
> I think your advice is good and we are actually on the same page...
> 
> best,
> rob p
>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: IcemanLE@xxxxxxx 
>   To: chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>   Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx ; mktspot@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
>   Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2007 9:07 AM
>   Subject: Re: [Harp-L] godd or bad haprs?
> 
> 
>   In a message dated 7/11/2007 8:38:33 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
> chromboy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>     Hard" vs "Soft" is a style or approach, not a
>     "Right or Wrong" technique.....I push a lot of air thru mine at
> times as
>     well....sometimes those lil' buggers just wanna be spanked!!!,-) 
>   Do you blow out a harmonica after a few songs, too, as did the
> original poster? Does Steve Guyger go through numerous harmonicas
> every performance? I didn't think so, but I could be wrong, never
> having directly asked this question of Rob P., Steve G. or fjm. (By
> the way, this email is asking that direct question to Rob P and fjm).
> 
>   My feeling and educational approach is, if you ruin a harmonica
> after a few songs, you are using too much force. Much more is to be
> gained in control, tone, range of emotion and faster learning if you
> breathe the harmonica. Blowing is for birthday candles. Sucking is
> for that last piece of spaghetti. Drawing is for visual artists or
> those dipping buckets into wells and lakes for water.
> 
>   The Iceman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>
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