Re: [Harp-L] so what does matter?

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Fertig" <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 12:34 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] so what does matter?


> Guts.

Amen!  The perfect short answer.

The long answer follows:

Embouchure and breath control produce tone. You can pucker up and blow or 
draw on a bare reedplate and produce a sound that is as good as (and 
arguably better) than a fully assembled harp because YOU are there.  Given 
this, how important can all of the mechanical parts of the harp be to tone? 
The mouthpiece assembly (on a chromatic) and the comb are there to direct 
the air to the desired reed. The covers are there to keep your hands off of 
the reeds.

Plastic and metal combs are stable in the presence of moisture.  Wood is 
not. Threaded fasteners (as opposed to nails) facilitate maintenance.

Reed design is a function of the density & elasticity of the material, and 
the desired response to breath pressure.  Density and elasticity are 
virtually the same for all copper-alloy reed metals. Steel reeds would 
probably have a longer fatigue life than brass or bronze.  Their thickness 
profile will be different but not necessarily their sound.  The 
characteristic harmonica tone comes from the throttling of air by the 
changes of flow area as the reed swings back and forth in the slot.  This is 
the same for any reed material.  The sound does not eminate from the surface 
of the reed (or any other harmonica part) as from a bell or the soundboard 
of a stringed instrument.

Leakage (especially through the slide of a chromatic) interferes with your 
ability to establish tight, resonant connection of the reed to your 
embouchure. Without a long discussion of damping, you can think of it as the 
sound vibrations leaking out.  It is like the sound of a brass instrument 
when you open the spit valve.

Bottom line:
Develop your embouchure and breath control for tone.
Choose your harp materials for longevity.
Choose your harp design for maintainability and low leakage.
Choose your price based on your pocketbook.

Then, don't worry about the many popular myths and superstitions (e.g. "wood 
sounds warm") about harmonicas.

Skeptically yours,

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

> From:harp@xxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [Harp-L] so what does matter? Date: Thu, 01 
> Nov 2007 19:30:20 -0600 To:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx                Plain Text 
> Attachment     [  Scan and Save to Computer      ]
>
>
> Joe Spiers <joemopar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > After months of therapy, I'm finally at peace with the idea that comb
> > material doesn't matter. Now you're telling me that cover material
> > doesn't matter either.....
>
> and apparently reed material doesn't matter (except perhaps for 
> longevity).
> so, what other factors are there.  which ones matter?  how much?
>
> --
> Garry Hodgson, Chief Hacking Officer, Snarkus Ltd.
>
> Do for others
> with no thought of return.
> We should all plant some trees
> we will never sit under.
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
> http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l