Re: [Harp-L] Half-Valving a Chromatic

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

A chromatic with valves/windsavers intact   ALREADY allows blow blends of a 
half-step and draw bends of a half-step, what is the point of removing half of 
the windsavers? You don't gain any new notes.

This only makes the harp leaky and does not add any notes. Besides, keeping 
all the bent notes valve/windsaver or "single reed" bends keeps all the bent 
notes in the same timbre. 

The point of half-valving a diatonic is that the process ADDs blow bends on 
the first 7 holes and draw bends on 8-10. 

If you want a chromatic that "bends like a diatonic" get a Hohner Slide Harp 
that has the same layout as a 10-hole Marine Band, the access of MOST notes a 
half-step higher. Since the Hohner Slide Harp is half-valved from the factory, 
you don't even have to get your gle gun out -- you can start playing right 
out of the box. AND because it is half-valved, you can blow bend each of the 
first 6 blow reeds. (I can't tell if the Slide Harp top reeds are valved or not 
-- I can't see them.)

The Slide Harp bends just like the Marine Band; 1,2,3,4,6 on the draw and 
8,9,10 on blow. The bends work with the slide in or out -- because the Slide Harp 
(and Koch)   have C and C# reed plates. 

 
Some people are under the impression that the Koch harp made by Hohner "will 
bend better" because it has no valves/windsavers. Wrong. It only LEAKS better 
than the Slide Harp. But if you want a breathier sound, then the Koch is the 
one for you. I think Hering's   Vintage 40 is a FULLY valved 10-hole diatonic 
chromatic -- which only allows single reed bends like you get on any standard 
valved/windsaver chromatic. 

(Obviously, valves/windsavers will not last forever; so in that sense with a 
Koch you never have to worry about the valves sticking or falling out --- 
because it doesn't have any.) 

Both the Koch and Slide Harp used to be available in the keys of C and G. I 
think they are only available in the key of C now. (I've got a C&G Slide and C&
G Koch which I bought from Farrell at SPAH years ago in Detroit.)

Phil Lloyd


 
In a message dated 6/14/07 9:47:17 AM, moorcot@xxxxxxx writes:


> Brendan wrote:
> 
> >The stock CX12 is pretty good in this
> >respect, but you can improve airtightness by putting a very thin film of
> >Vaseline on the slider. There are other mods also, but that is a simple
> >and quick way to get a significant improvement.
> 
> Whoa, vaseline?  I'm not much of a chromatic man but I always thought that
> doing anything to the slide, other than cleaning it with a warm water
> upside-down bath, was anathema.   You learn something new every day!
> 
> Steve
> 
> 


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