[Harp-L] harmonetta again

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I wrote:

"When you press a button, say C, you open the holes for all the Cs on  
the instrument"

Which I want to clarify.  The mouthpiece holes are always open  
actually.  The mechanism of the button acts to arc a thin metal strip  
thus allowing air to exit the chamber the reeds are in.  The  
harmonetta works not by blocking air going into the chamber (as in  
the chromatic harmonica, for instance) but rather by stopping or  
allowing air to exit the reed chamber.

It's quite an ingenious design, but unless you want to tackle a truly  
massive amount of work I advise never taking one apart.  I remember  
Douglas Tate's advice to me on the subject:

"Take the covers off, then slowly back away".

Douglas won the Harmonetta competition at the World Championships in  
Trossingen at least once, BTW.



JR Ross