Re: [Harp-L] Re: Half valving for rack playing

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 5:13 AM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Half valving for rack playing


> O yea, what
> kind of material can I use for a test to see if It's  what I'm looking 
> for, and
> where do I stick the wind savers? I've been wanting to  play a valved harp 
> for
> a while now and this has pushed my lazy buns into action.  I'm lookin' to 
> be
> able to blow bend more without having to think about it too  much, 'cause 
> I'm
> just not that good of a guitar player but I do love to play  one. I'm 
> gonna be
> doing a coffee house thing by myself from time to time so I  can use all 
> the
> help I can get. If this works out I'll end up buying some valved  harps 
> but my
> budget at this time................what budget????? Could y'all give me 
> some  suggestions??


At SPAH06, PT Gazell held a seminar and described his half-valving scheme. 
He attaches valves on the draw reed slots in holes 1 - 6 (bottom plate) and 
to the blow reed slots in holes 7 - 10, (top plate).   He uses "Ultrasuede 
Soft" material (about .022" thick or just a little thinner than a credit 
card.) glued on with contact cement such as Goodyear Pliobond.  See 
www.fieldsfabrics.com for Ultrasuede.  Their $15 sample pack will give you 
plenty of material for valves.

I claim that the Hands-Free-Chromatic is the ultimate harp for rack playing. 
Its freedom from slide leakage allows blow and draw bending for musical 
effect but all of the notes of the chromatic scale are available on their 
own reeds.  Why settle for half-measures when you can easily have the entire 
3-octave chromatic scale?   Hear Enrico Granafei play the 
Hands-Free-Chromatic and classical guitar on Youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoULWTqxjOs  Unless you are a hard-core 
diatonic purist, you should give it a try.  You'll like it!

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com