Re: [Harp-L] Gapping For a Tongue Blocker

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tongue blocking all by itself does not require special gapping.

But the type of attack you favor will have a big impact on how you gap. Certainly Chicago blues style (not sure if that's what you mean by trad) tends to emphasize heavy attacks.

The other thing to consider in setting your reed profiles is how easily notes will bend for you. If you're a 100% tongue blocker I'm assuming you don't switch to a pucker to bend notes.

Generally speaking, if notes are choking in response to your attack, you should raise the gap at the tip.

You don't want the whole length of the reed raised above the reedplate, though. The reed *profile* - the curvature along its entire length - should stay just above (never below) the surface of the reedplate, and rise gently to the gap at the tip.

For bending, both the blow red and the draw reed participate, and both can be optimized for bending. The note bending down will lower toward the reedplate as the pitch goes down. If it starts to sink into the slot, it will stop sounding, so it needs enough distance above the plate to allow it to bend down as far as you want before it blanks out. The responding reed, on the other hand, pushes away from the reedplate as the bend is released (and rises in pitch), so it needs to be set fairly close. Of course you need to balance these adjustments with general playability given your preferred attack and overall responsiveness (this is why good harp techs are worth every penny).

Stock harmonicas often come with the reeds set generally too high for all but beginning players, who tend to blow too hard. The first action you might take would be to take each reed and gently flex it through its slot, then let it spring back. Doing this a few times will set the general profile a bit lower than it was, and make it more air efficient. (Don't overdo it or the reed will become chokey and unresponsive. You can reverse the process by flexing the reed the other way - away from the slot. But it will probably go out of tune and need retuning once you give it a few days to re-settle). Then you can set the gaps where you want them.

Within these very broad parameters, you need to experiment to find what works for you.

Also, in case you missed it, master harmonica technician Richard Sleigh has an excellent book that deals with this topic at greater length. Check it out at:

http://customharmonicas.com/r-sleigh/

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

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

--- On Mon, 10/26/09, tom cox <tcslim@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi I am pretty much a 100% TBer and am trying to find the perfect set up for my harps. (Aren't we all) I have been gapping them pretty close as most instructions suggest. However I often find that some notes will stick, and attack can be a problem. I would consider myself a medium pressure player, and am attempting to play a bit softer I suppose. Also drinking sticky brown beer at gigs, is that a problem? I guess it will be, and I will be advised to drink good ole H2O. I realise that it is up to the player to work out his own playing style and set up his harps accordingly or get a customizer to do it. I just wanted some general advise on how you would set up for a player who is predominately a TBer playing trad blues. cheers Tom C                           
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