Re: [Harp-L] Altered reed shapes cont.

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Dr. Michael J. Marino, DC" wrote:
<I am NOT trying to create a MIDI sound or even a
<single tone from a reed.  That in my view is useless.  What I am
<trying to do is remove or dampen the unwanted frequencies/tones that
<are present in a harmonica reed.  The goal is to produce a "cleaner"
<sounding reed and desired tone.

A number of people have expressed concern about the possibility that reeds treated this way might sound different from the harmonicas they already play. I don't recall anyone expressing delight about the possibility that the sound of such an instrument might be very, very cool.

The only way anything changes for the better is if someone does something different.  If it doesn't work, well, try something else.  If it does work, great! Another arrow in the quiver.

Harmonica players tend to be pretty conservative in terms of what they like in their sounds.  I've lost count of the number of people on various harmonica lists who will claim, with a straight face, that there's only one mic, one amp, one effects pedal, etc. that produces a decent sound.  (The same people will then tell you, with the same straight face, that blues is all about sounding like yourself.) But every era produces its own technologies, and every new technology is an opportunity to add to the capabilities of the instruments, and thus to the range of possibilities available to the players. 

Surely we're not going to discourage someone from doing R&D on the instrument, are we?  What're we scared of--that we might pick up a harmonica and make a new kind of sound?

Thanks, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp" 
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