Re: [Harp-L] Re: 7-10

[Rupert Oysler <orupert@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

One suggestion: play JUST the holes 7-10 for at least some period of 
"practice" time or just fooling around.....A lot of the problems that 
people experience from the higher holes come from habits formed playing 
the lower holes. Most of us got the first good sounds from the low end, 
and learned to wail on those draw notes. There are a lot of 
"unconscious" habits about approaching notes there, especially draw notes:
-hitting them harder than blow notes
-starting them bent and bringing them up to pitch
-playing them always bent
-applying "bending vibrato"
-tapering off with a bend

These habits will kill notes 7-10, since the reed relationship in those 
holes is reversed, so draw reeds will not bend (at least not like they 
do in 1-6). So in addition to the reeds being way smaller, the entire 
set-up is different, and it is both tonally confusing and 
breath/approach/attack confusing, IF you go there with the same habits 
you have already developed in the lower end. Now the notes you can 
really wail on are the blow notes, and to get a good solid draw note is 
different than the low end, and the focus of your embouchure needs 
development.

By spending some dedicated minutes (or more) with 7-10, approaching them 
completely fresh as a beginner, you will begin to enjoy allowing them to 
reveal their unique secrets to you. Gradually you will naturally add 
these to what you know and be able to make a seamless transition up and 
down the harp.

Rupert Oysler
www.seydelusa.com