Re: [Harp-L] effects on tremolo harmonica

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Without more specifics it's hard to comment on your query. However . . .

Once you isolate the top or bottom row of reeds on a tremolo, you have several bending options, including:

1. Isolate a single draw reed and bend it down - the pitch range may be several semitones.

2. Isolate a single draw reed and overblow to sound a higher pitch.

3. Isolate a single blow reed and bend it down  - the pitch range may be several semitones.

4. Isolate a single blow reed and overdraw to sound a higher pitch.

5. Isolate a blow-draw pair of reeds so that the draw reed is higher pitched and bend the draw note down to within a semitone of the blow reed pitch

6. Isolate a blow-draw pair of reeds so that the blow reed is higher pitched and bend the blow note down to within a semitone of the blow reed pitch.

With all options, it's up to you to control the pitch of the bend. 

Dual reed bends will be out of tune (slightly flat) if you bend them all the way down; you have to bend them a little less than all the way and listen to be sure that they are in tune.

Overbends tend to come in slightly less than a semitone above the pitch of the source reed, so you have to push them up a little in pitch to be in tune.

Isolated reeds when you bend them down have a fairly wide pitch range. Again, listen and adjust.

I don't think that the reeds in tremolo harmonicas are any more sensitive than those in other harmonicas. However, they are configured in such a way that many different reed behaviors are possible. This places more demands on your technique when you go to access these behaviors. And the reeds may be adjusted differently that on other harmonicas, which may also require a slight modification in your approach.

Bottom line - work on your bending technique first, with plenty of listening and adjustment.

Work on adjusting the action of reeds on the tremolo harmonica only after you've solidified your bending techniques for the reed behaviors you want to employ.

You may find that once you've given careful attention to your tremolo bending technique, you will also have better bending control on other types of harmonica.

Hope this helps.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

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

--- On Thu, 10/30/08, hannessch@xxxxxxxxxx <hannessch@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: hannessch@xxxxxxxxxx <hannessch@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] effects on tremolo harmonica
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thursday, October 30, 2008, 10:19 AM


I recently did some experiments with bendings (not single reed) and changing my
embouchure and the shape of my oral cavity to get different kinds of sounds and
effects from my tremolo harmonica (Suzuki Humming). I'm aware of the
discussion about bending on tremolo harmonicas and the reeds being apparently
more sensitive then blues harp reeds, and in fact my experiments lead to some
reeds sounding a little out of tune. My question is: is this a general problem
with tremolos, or is it my lack of technique? On a YouTube-clip presenting the
Suzuki BR21 tremolo, it is played with the kind of effects I tried, maybe the
BR21 is more adapted to that kind of playing?

Greetings, Hannes Schneider
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