[Harp-L] Reason why harmonicas must be broken in

["Jason Pos (JG)" <POSJG@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

It's the player that must be broken in, not the harmonica.  But egos
are fragile so best to blame the harmonica.

This myth is perpetuated by manufacturers to prevent first time
players from blowing out the reeds by hard playing within the first
couple of weeks.  Put "play softly at first - to break in the reeds"
in the paper insert inside the harp box and you teach the newbie a
modicum of self control.  It really makes good business sense to
perpetuate this myth.

I gave a harmonica to a drummer that I know and the first thing he did
was to blow it at hard as he could.  It was a cheap harp and I stood
there just expecting all the reeds to snap.  If only I had perpetuated
the myth of harmonicas needing to be broken in he would have tried it
gently at first until he got the hang of it.

Give a young kid a harmonica and, just like the drummer :-), they will
treat it as a noise maker and blow as hard as they can.  Explain to
the kid that if they want it to last a long time they must blow it
softly for the first two weeks "to break it in" and they will learn to
actually use some self control to prevent breaking it in the first few
minutes.

So this myth needs to be carried from generation to generation as long
as there are new harmonica players who need to be broken in.
A very valid proverb: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and
when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Regards,
Jason G.




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