Re: [Harp-L] RE: hohner reeds

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

Ok, looking at this from a salvage diver's point of view, I hear  
people playing harp at 3.375 BAR (around 49.6125 lbs per sq in).  
Let's get serious people. Would it bust anyone's heart to back off to  
2.948 BAR (around 43.3405 lbs per sq in)?

If I were to go back to 1847 or whatever, I think the harp would have  
been designed for the average person and not some wooley mammoth. I  
don't recall the original players of harps being human wind tunnels.  
They were people. Average people. Sooo, that's what the harp was  
designed for.

Considering the small reeds made from a metal that is known for it's  
maleability NOT its spring strength, AND given the absurdity of using  
iron (steel wasn't available back then) because of the caustic  
moisture present, I think the harp is about what it should BE.

If you want to blow like the ventilators on the Chunnel, maybe harp  
isn't for you. If you blow your brains out on a trumpet, all you blow  
out is your lip.  Do it with a woodwind, and the reed chokes. I hear  
these horror stories about people sucking in reeds and I cringe. This  
is obviously being done by players who are at the ZENITH of  
extracting every possible sound out OF a harp. To this  
accomplishment, I applaud you...BUT why not bite the bullet and get  
yourself an amp and back down on the pressure to about 87.5% of what  
you're doing NOW.

Why would one expect a small box with tiny free swinging parts to put  
up with this abuse. There ARE a lot of hard chargers playing harp  
these days, but I don't see why that much brute force is necessary.  
As for reeds in general, my opinion is that: They're fine. If you  
don't like them, make your own. I have.

smokey-joe