Re: [Harp-L] Soaking harps

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Steve;
           I post to this list to amuse myself when I feel the need. I
like yakking to people, and like nothing more than a good argument, so
don't take any of this too seriously.
           Two things: firstly the old 'materials' argument; this was
usually applied to combs, but is equally relevant to reeds. The reed
makes a note in the same way a whirling aeroplane propellor makes a
note, and it doesn't matter if it's made out of plastic, aluminium or
wood (in the case of a reed, which, unlike the propellor, must flex a
great deal & the flexibility would effect the speed at which the reed
travelled, so there would be some difference.
          But the sound you produce when you 'plink' - or pluck-  the
reed manually is producing a sound in a way that does not happen when
the reed is activated by air. When you pluck the reed, it is working
like a guitar string, and the material makes a difference.
         When you activate it with your breath, it is working as a
siren, and the material it is made from has nothing to do with the sound
other than effecting the speed at which it can flex, as mentioned
above.
         Therefore, a coating of 'gunk' on the reed will only effect
the speed and therefore the pitch  (though in my experience the reeds
don't accumulate much gunk at all, but rather the comb)
         The following story is anecdotal (ie I heard it somewhere) but
I can identify with it; There is supposed to have been some kind of
study made where people felt that their cars seemed to go a lot better
after they'd washed it.
         
Regards,
Rick Dempster
Melbourne
Australia


>>> "Steve Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx> 18/07/2007 10:33:22 >>>
>Any kind of harp becomes louder the moment it is immersed in water.
>Removing 'gunk' takes longer than this.
>I repeat, it is because the water temporarily fills up any gaps,
>especially the clearances between the reeds and slots.
>It's more likely that cleaning out the 'gunk' would make the harp
>leakier and therefore quieter.
>I never really bother cleaning diatonics unless I happen to have the
>thing apart and I can see layers of muck flaking away and threatening
to
>end up in my mouth or get caught in a reed.
>If a wooden harp is played frequently the comb should remain moist
>enough not to shrink and require dampening. The 'gunk', likewise,
>usually only starts to flake off if the harp is left to dry out for
long
>enough.
>Cleaning diatonics? Nice for people with that much time to
spare......
>RD

Fine in theory, but I'm talking about washing the harp, allowing it to
dry 
and playing it, to find that it's brighter and more responsive.  Please
try 
it before dismissing what I'm saying!  And explain to me how a harp,
nicely 
set up when brand new (which is what I try to achieve), can possibly
play 
better if the reeds, etc., are randomly plastered in dried-on muck. 
And it 
is random.  We blow and suck.  Blow, more muck, suck, less muck.  Some
reeds 
get more attacking than others.  Hands up all those harp-players who
find 
that all their holes are absolutely equally gunked-up!

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica 
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm 

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