[Harp-L] re: Combs

[Joe Mahan <joe.mahan@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On the "chopped air/siren" theory:
Take a low-pitched harp, hit it with a single quick blow, and pull it 
away from your mouth quickly.
What do you hear, and feel with your hands? It's certainly noticeable, 
how significant is debatable.
It seems to indicate that there is something besides chopped air 
happening in the comb and cover plates.
Something that lives a few seconds beyond that initial puff of air.
You might have a vibrating body that in normal use(playing) is in 
varying degrees of contact with skin and bones(teeth).
It might be perceived by the brain in ways that even 
brain-surgeons-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx will never unravel.

I also suggest that you do try playing with earplugs/earmuffs. I think 
that our individual physiology/technique is a huge variable here.
I was a bit puzzled about Vern's conclusion on this one(earmuffs), 
although I am sure that he heard what he heard.
Just try it-don't postulate, let us know what you (think you) hear.

On the "how important what the player hears vs. the audience" discussion:

Try playing with earphones on, said earphones connected to maybe a nice 
tube preamp/reverb/whatever-signal-processor, while the audience gets 
only the dry unprocessed sound. Then try again with the same dry sound 
through the earphones (and to the audience again). Do you play it the 
same way?
(Note: no real audience is required for this test.)

I would suggest that there is a real (and important) feedback loop in 
the player. How it responds to different comb materials is not a dead 
subject in my book, based on anything I have read on harp-l in the last 
ten years or so. I do think that the taste/weight/feel factors might be 
confused with a players ability to perceive differences, and a truly 
objective test in near impossible to construct.

disclaimers:

I accept the SPAH results on the inability of listeners to distiguish 
between comb materials, under the limited conditions of tha test.
I also doubt that players can identify comb materials by playing them.  
(with equal taste/weight/feel, etc.)

Joe