[Harp-L] Re: Combs

["Derwood Blues" <Derwood.Blues@xxxxxxxxx>]

>From my understanding of physics (I am not a physicist) a siren spinning
creates a wave of air that based on the speed of the spin creates different
notes. It is the moving air that is the noise. A guitar string plays a
particular note based on the length of the moving section of string, the
tightness of the string and the thickness. as you change the (wave) length
of the string you change the note. The top piece of wood on the guitar picks
up that vibration and projects it. The wood also adds its own
characteristics to the sound. A harmonica reed is a certain length,
thickness and tightness. That combination creates the note. I would guess
that it is more like a guitar than a siren. If it was like a siren, the
velocity of your air would effect the note.
The question remains if the comb is actually transmitting some of the volume
and therefore adding it's own characteristics to the note. I would guess
from the basic construction that the comb has little effect. Unlike a guitar
the comb material is not designed/manipulated to produce sound. That does
not mean that it is irrelevant. I would guess that surface friction on the
airflow and the "solidness" of the comb connection to the reed plates would
effect the sound or at least the response of the instrument to the player.
But I cannot imaging that there is any money out there to test such things.
On the other hand the effect of a guitar's material and design have an
obvious enough effect to result in the standards that are out there today. A
solid top guitar has enough of a difference from a laminate that your
average guitarist can hear the difference.

Derwood