Re: [Harp-L] Full length covers

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Hunter" <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 09, 2009 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Full length covers


> Vern wrote:
> > I posit that attempts to produce perceptible effects by
> > small changes in cover design are wasted effort.  The
> > function of the covers is to keep your lips and hands off 
> > of
> > the reeds.  Otherwise, the harmonica sounds little 
> > different
> > with no covers at all.
>
> Well, this is very interesting.  I believe the Special 20s 
> I have fitted with Turbolids sound and play differently 
> than they do with standard Special 20 covers.  In 
> particular, I think the low end punches harder and the 
> whole harp sounds louder.  I don't know for sure that it's 
> not my imagination, or that I just think the low end must 
> punch harder because the Turbolids have a big bulge in the 
> low end.  But I would rather play a G Special 20 with 
> Turbolids than without them, unless I was playing a piece 
> where I had to put a lot of the low end of the harp into 
> my mouth, like for example some of my solo pieces.   That 
> bulge eats up a lot of room, and it makes it harder to 
> play wide intervals (like 10ths, 12ths, double octaves, 
> etc.).

I have my doubts about resonances within turbolids because 
the dimensions are still very small with respect to the 
wavelengths and there is no tubular cavity not open to the 
back.   I don't play diatonics but I always thought of 
Turbolids as a way to fit the harp to the hand for 
comfortable cupping.  Could the difference that you perceive 
be attributed to your hand cup and not to resonance under 
the covers?

However, I would characterize a turbolid as a large 
difference in design, not a small one such as the subject 
difference between full length and tabbed covers.  I think 
that the "Trumpet Call" harps with the little horn bells on 
the covers are laughable.   Consider also the CBH2016 that 
has partitions to confine every reed to its own separate 
passage under the covers and doesn't sound all that 
different from other chromatics.

Vern