Re: [Harp-L] Overbends on tremolo harps and the Discrete Comb

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

John - 

I have marketed the Discrete Comb as a product for about 10 years, and have posted extensively about in on this list. However, looking at the archives, I see that the years when I was posting about it are missing (1996-ish).

Briefly, any reed when isolated will bend down by an amount that is not limited by the other reed in the hole, and will overbend with more volume and stability than in a dual reed combination, and will bend up several semitones. If you can isolate all 20 reeds in a standard diatonic, you open up all sorts of new bending capabilities.

===SEE, HEAR, and READ ABOUT IT

Here's a link to me playing a minor tune on a major harp with Discrete Comb harp (circa 1996) on harp-l's Google group site:

http://harp-l.googlegroups.com/web/The_Tinge_Part_1.mp3

Here are links to a couple of review sof the Discrete Comb:

http://www.planetharmonica.com/ph5/VE/DiscreteCombUK.htm

http://www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill/DiscreteComb.html

==OTHER SIMILAR PRODUCTS

The Discrete Comb was the first product diesgned to allow reed isolation on a single-reed diatonic, but it's not the only one. The Suzuki Overdrive achieves the same result as a Discrete Comb - isolating any of the 20 reeds on the diatonic - but dies it by a different method.

The Suzuki Overdrive uses a normal comb, but has solid covers with an air channel for each reed - 10 on the bottom (blow reeds) and 10 on the bottom (draw reeds). You use your fingers to block any channels leading to reeds you want to eliminate. For instance, if you want to play an overblow on Hole 6, you want to isolate the draw reed. So you'd block the channel to Hole 6 on the upper cover (blow reeds) to eliminate the blow note. If you wanted to bend Blow 6 down, you'd block the Hole 6 channel on the bottom cover (draw notes).

The problem with the Overdrive approach is that all that finger blocking gets finicky, and it's easy to accidentally block channels while holding the harmonica normally.

You can see Brendan Power demonstrating the Suzuki Overdrive here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mF4HZGCO10E

Note how he holds the harp.

===HOW THE DISCRETE COMB WORKS

The Discrete Comb uses normal covers but replaces the standard diatonic comb with one that divides each hole into a top and bottom chamber, similar to what you see on a tremolo harp. However, the comb has to be thicker than a standard comb - at normal thickness, the chambers are too small to allow for reed swing or decent volume, and the reeds choke too easily. if you're used to playing chromatic or other larger, harps, the Discrete Comb won't be unusual, but people who play 10-h0ole diatonic exclusively may find it a little strange at first.

In normal playing position, your mouth accesses both top and bottom halves of each hole and standard bends (Draw 1 thru 6, Blow 7 thru 10) are available.

To isolate a reed you rock the harp up and down to present either the top or bottom half of the hole for isolation - you can still hold the harp normally. To isolate the top row of blow reeds, you use your holding hand to slightly rock the back of the harp so that the front of the harp angles downward, presenting the top row (blow reeds) for isolation. To isolate the bottom row of draw reeds, rock the harp so that the front tilts up, presnting the bottom row for isolation. Rocking the harp is another thing to think about, but is easier to manage than 20 individual little holes on the back of the harp.

A harp with a Discrete Comb sounds similar to a standard harp in normal playing mode, playing unbent notes or standard bends. Isolated notes bent down sound like valved bends - not as complex or rich as dual -reed bends. Overbends sound strongert than on a standard harp because all the air is going to the overbend reed and there's no need to keep the other reed from sounding.

That said, a Discrete Comb harp choke more easily than a harp with a standard comb, because the air flow to each reed is more concentrated. I've made some design tweaks to reduce this effect, but it's still a part of the package - you get something, but you also give up a little of something else.

Previously, the Discrete Comb was available in models that fit either the Hohner MS-Series (Big River, MS-Blues Harp, MS-Meisterklasse, etc.)and Lee Oskar harps. I've depleted stock on these and will come out with models to fit the Hohner Marine Band Deluxe and Crossover Models, if there is enough interest . . . 

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Mon, 7/20/09, John Kerkhoven <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: John Kerkhoven <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Overbends on tremolo harps and the Discrete Comb
To: "Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>, "Harp L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Monday, July 20, 2009, 1:34 PM

Winslow,

What you say makes a discrete-combed harp sound extremely cool.... To the
point that I'm left asking how come we haven't seen these -- at least as
diatonics? Or are there discrete harps on the market (other than tremolos)?
And if not, is there any likelihood that there might be?

Did you make your own? How?
What would you list as the advantages and disadvantages compared with a
standard diatonic harp of similar quality?