Re: [Harp-L] What happens when bending

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

If the reed oscillated faster, the pitch would go up - faster vibration = higher pitch. Whatever it looks like to the naked eye, the reed vibration slows down when you bend a note down in pitch.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5


--- On Mon, 10/6/08, Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: Rick Dempster <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] What happens when bending
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx, winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx
> Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 6:01 PM
> My impression of the mechanics of bending is that the tongue
> works to change the size of the resonating chamber, while
> the larynx (ie vocal chords) 'choke' the airstream
> so that the air is forced to move more quickly, in a finer
> stream, and at greater pressure, thus causing the reed to
> oscillate faster. This action is similar to pressing your
> thumb over the end of a hosepipe so that, although the same
> volume of water passes the opening in the same amount of
> time, it must move more quickly.
> I also suspect, through watching the action of the reed in
> a mirror, that not only does the reed oscillate faster when
> pressure is increased, but that a greater length of reed is
> activated; when the reed is drawn without bending, it
> appears to oscillate widely, with most of the movement
> concentrated towards the free-end.
> When the bend is applied, the oscillation appears narrower,
> faster, and distributed down a greater length of the reed.
> A note can be bent simply by pinching the lips while
> keeping the volume of air ie the pressure applied by the
> diaphragm the same.
> The old hillbilly guys called note bending 'choke
> harp', and I reckon they were spot on.
> RD
> >>> Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
> 7/10/2008 11:15 >>>
> This is the sort of first-hand evidence that's needed.
> 
> However, because something moves does not mean that
> it's an agent. It may simply be pulled or pushed along
> by the prevailing winds.
> 
> It's interesting to read how different the experience
> of players is when they bend. What to make of these varying
> experiences and conclusions?
> 
> Beyond what seems reasonable from personal experience and
> observation (including mine), distinguishing what moves from
> what is actually making the note bend requires understanding
> of both anatomy and physics. it'd be nice to see a
> thorough investigation using multiple players, full
> vocal/respiratory tract ultrasound, etc., followed by a
> detailed examination of the physics.
> 
> Winslow 
> 
> Winslow Yerxa
> Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
> 
> 
> --- On Mon, 10/6/08, Steve Baker
> <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
> > From: Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: [Harp-L] What happens when bending
> > To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Date: Monday, October 6, 2008, 2:23 PM
> > In 2002 I served as guinea pig for a group of medical
> > researchers in  
> > the ear, nose & throat department at Hamburg
> University
> > Hospital who  
> > were investigating wind instruments. They stuck an
> > endoscopic camera  
> > through my nose and down into the throat in order to
> film
> > the larynx  
> > and pharynx from above while I played. An external
> camera
> > with sound  
> > recording filmed neck and head from the side. On the
> > resulting video  
> > it's possible to observe both bending and vibrato
> from
> > inside the  
> > throat. On the basis of this material I would say that
> > although the  
> > middle part of the tongue (which we couldn't flm
> at the
> > same time)  
> > clearly must play an important role when bending, the
> > activity  
> > definitely continues right down into the pharynx. The
> vocal
> > folds  
> > also play a much greater role than I had anticipated
> in
> > articulating  
> > individual notes as well as creating vibrato. I will
> be
> > including  
> > excerpts from this film in a forthcoming instructional
> DVD,
> > 
> > Steve
> > 
> > Steve Baker
> > steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> > www.stevebaker.de 
> > www.bluesculture.com 
> > www.youtube.com/stevebakerbluesharp 
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
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> 
> 
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