Re: [Harp-L] Searching for Half-Valved Players

[Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Phil,

Philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:
> One of the things that most appeals to me about half valved harps -- I prefer 
> Suzuki's ProMaster
> MR350-V -- is the "logical" relationship of the blow bend to the unbent note, 
> compared to overblows.
I think what you have written reflects very well my enthusiasm for the 
half-valved diatonic. Before I discovered this instrument, I loved 
playing the diatonic for blues, but for jazz and even for blues, I found 
missing notes in the middle register annoying and the limitations in the 
upper register made it unusable. I used a chromatic for most of my jazz 
work even though I regard it as a different instrument from the diatonic 
in many, many ways. Even given the fine work Brendan does on his 
half-valved chromatic, it still sounds mostly like a chromatic to me. 
And the chromatic simply doesn't have my heart the way the diatonic does.

The diatonic fits in my small hands. It lets me hold it and warm it up. 
It is more responsive to changes in the shape of my oral cavity. It is 
small enough that my hands can mute and unmute the instrument, like a 
horn. And the tone is just warmer and more expressive, at least to me.

Before I started with valved instruments, I learned and played overblow 
harp. But I must admit I never got used to the back and forth movement 
for scales that require overblows. The blow bend technique IS more 
logical - left to right. It is more difficult to get a good pitch and 
tone from the instrument than with overblow, but it's worth the effort.

I have found that with plenty of practice, it is possible to get an 
accurate, pleasant and stable tone on the new notes or single-reed 
bends. This applies as well to the draw bends in the upper register, 
which provide the flatted notes I often want when I am playing in 
mixolydian mode (2nd position). Not only have I expanded what can be 
done in the positions I learned for blues, but I can now use new 
positions that are delightful for some jazz tunes, such as the one based 
on the minor third of the instrument - e-flat on a c major instrument.

I have found the MR350-V to be a very serviceable instrument. I buy them 
and also valve some other instruments. I have not made any determination 
whether one or another works better. The C that I carry around with me 
is a Suzuki. I have read complaints from people about unwanted squeals 
on, e.g., 7 draw bend. When I started I would get them too, but as my 
single-reed bend technique improved, the squeals went away. I don't get 
them any more. I think most of the complaints I have heard about it are 
similarly a matter of technique.

I found the basic tuning of the instrument pretty accurate right out of 
the box. I had to reseal and regap a b-flat I got, and there have been 
other minor defects, but not in tuning.

I like to keep a ready-to-go set of reed plates at my house so that I 
don't have a harp out of service for any length of time. I have bought 
lee oscar and suzuki reed plates. I have had quality problems with the 
suzuki plates.


 -LM