From: "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx> Date: September 21, 2008 10:02:18 AM GMT-04:00 To: thalchak@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: Misc. harp question and thanks
CORRECTION OF TYPO: Second sentence on line one should read: "To bend the 2 and 3 draw..."
Tom,
This is in response to your second question which is reproduced below. To bend the 3 and 3 draw (especially on the lower tuned harps like G and A) requires that the player open the throat which is difficult to explain, The lower jaw should be dropped and the throat is pushed out in front--the Adam's apple will actually move when the player is doing it right. If you are moving your tongue to bend (which should not be necessary if you are drawing the air from your diaphragm and using your throat-- but is nevertheless commonly done) try to have any tongue movement occur as far back in the mouth as possible close to the root of the tongue to get the throat muscles involved-- (I'm assuming that you are a lip purser, not a tongue blocker--if you area tongue blocker, you will necessarily be using the throat to bend anyway). This requires a great deal of effort to learn and is initially very difficult, but once you get it, it becomes very natural and easy to do. I wish I was able to explain the actual process of opening the throat with mote clarity, but is an important technique to learn and difficult to describe in words. Keep in mind that a softer initial breath attack is required on the lower turned harps anyway. (This has been discussed in other posts under the heading "Problems with A Harps" or something like that).
I do not wish to sound mean or disrespectful, but complaints about the quality or consistency of A and/or G harps is usually an indication of a player who has poor breath technique, or one who has not learned to open he throat in order to accomplish lower key draw bends. i have never found it necessary to "break in" a plastic or metal combed harmonica. I play stock harmonicas out of the box and the only tweaking I have ever done is occasionally opening up he gap of certain reeds if a harp is unusually "tight" which rarely occurs and almost never on the lower tuned reeds.
Btw, good, deep embouchure will help. Get the harp deep in the mouth so that it presses against the corners of mouth and tilt the holes down slightly, drop the lower jaw and keep it down and relaxed (there may be slight tightening of the lower jaw muscles as you open the throat, though) and produce all your air flow (blow and draw) from your diaphragm. Also make the largest opening or aperture in your lips as physically possible which still allows you to get a single note/hole. This will also produce better tone.
Good luck!
JP
Second question. I am having some difficulty with a few of my harps. Specifically in holding the bend on the 2 draw or getting the full 1 1/2 step bend on the 3 holes. (For example the G harp) Others I can bend and hold without difficulty. I fully accept the possibility that "user error" might be the primary source of my difficulty ('m working on it). But I am wondering, a) how long does it take to "break in" a new harmonica?; and b) I've been reading a lot about tuning and customizing harps and there is an apparently good book on Amazon about the subject (Make Your Harmonica Work Better - Douglas Tate) so is it common for you pros out there to have to tweak a new harp in order to get it just right? It appears that building a complete set of harps that play and sound the way you want them to is a little more of a challenge than just buying a bunch of harps (understatement of the month I presume).