RE: [Harp-L] Re: putting my money where my mouth is - the importance of sealing the front of the harp

[Ryan Hartt <rhartt1234@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I just did a quick experiment. This may or may not be what you are doing Greg but I was able to replicate your two tones by doing the following:
I usually cup with my thumb over the top
holes, and yes when I take my thumb off the holes I hear a difference.
But when I put my thumb under the harp and move my thumb I get the same change in tone. It's not air coming out the the holes its air coming out of the
cup. By moving my thumb I was opening up my cup ever so slightly for that change in tone. For me the holes had nothing to do with it, but as I said perhaps you are doing something different and like they say if you dig it do it twice.
Hell who cares? We've both have great tone. I want to figure how Kim Wilson can play half the night one handed and still sound better then anyone else. 
Ryan



> From: greg@xxxxxxxxxxx
> To: hvyj@xxxxxxx
> Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 14:24:58 -0700
> CC: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] Re: putting my money where my mouth is - the importance of	sealing the front of the harp
> 
> John, I'm not sure what you're saying but certainly if the top holes  
> are sealed against your cheek, that's just as good. You don't have to  
> use your thumb. On the other hand if moving your thumb away doesn't  
> change something, and those holes are now open, then there is a  
> problem elsewhere with the seal on the front of the harp. There is a  
> real physical effect here. Imagine a microphone a few inches in front  
> of a small speaker in free air - contrasted with the same setup only  
> with a cone around both making an airtight seal. In one case, the  
> sound pressure level is considerably lower. When you truly seal all  
> holes on the front of the harp, you can feel it on your hands, and if  
> you're playing amplified, you just drive the crap out of the mic  
> element. It DOES make a difference and instant changes your tone, with  
> no change in embouchure.  Now I'm not saying everyone should play this  
> way all the time. I'm just saying if you haven't experienced this  
> "sealed, direct coupled" approach then you're missing something very,  
> very cool. It really, honestly does matter, and the front of the harp  
> must be completely sealed. It works amplified or acoustic.
> 
> So I recorded a couple quick YouTube videos to demonstrate what I'm  
> talking about:
> 
> Acoustic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRPaAyDTF5c
> 
> Amplified: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrAzDHiNw94
> 
> FULLY sealing the front of the harp DOES matter.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On Apr 5, 2009, at 1:14 PM, John F. Potts wrote:
> 
> > Greg,
> >
> > If i understand your description of the technique you use, what you  
> > are doing deepens your embouchure, makes a larger oral resonance  
> > chamber,  and tightens the seal of the mic cup, all of which will  
> > strengthen and deepen tone. I've got a pretty deep embouchure and a  
> > decent seal.  I've been sitting here covering and uncovering the top  
> > holes of the harmonica with my thumb.  The only time it affects my  
> > tone is when the thumb movement is pronounced enough to open the  
> > seal a little.  But if I'm careful to keep the seal tight, covering  
> > or uncovering the top holes with my thumb has no effect on my tone  
> > or volume.
> >
> > But the other aspects of what you describe will definitely affect  
> > tone, so if the thumb cover part of it helps you do the rest, then  
> > it affects tone, too.  But not in and of itself as far as I can  
> > tell. So, I sort of agree with Ryan.
> >
> > For newbies, there are variations on how tight one can/should cup  
> > the mic and whether to do a complete seal or leave a little vent  
> > space while otherwise keeping a tight cup, or whether to cup very  
> > tight or not.  All of this affects tone. Depending on what type of  
> > sound the player is trying to get, these techniques may change  
> > depending on the characteristics of the particular mic you are  
> > using.  In other words you may need to use a different grip  
> > variation on different mics to get the same basic tonal  
> > characteristic, depending on the performance characteristics of each  
> > mic.  It all depends on what you want to sound like and the response  
> > characteristics of the mic you are using.  What the mic is plugged  
> > into also my require that you vary your grip to get the sound you  
> > are after. This is what mic handling technique is about.
> >
> > Btw, embouchure has a lot to do with this too.  Here's an experiment  
> > lip pursers can try:  Using deep embouchure and air flow from your  
> > diaphragm, draw or blow a chord keeping a tight cup/seal on the  
> > mic.  Now, while doing that and keeping everything else the same,  
> > smoothly push the holes of the harp deeper into your mouth past your  
> > teeth.  If you are doing it right, the effect on depth and fullness  
> > of tone is pretty interesting, especially when amplified.
> >
> > JP
> 
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