Re: [Harp-L] Re: Harmonica speed compared to other instruments

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Here is a rationale for the speeds of various instruments.

The piano is fastest because the keys and the fingers that depress them are independent.  You can start a motion on one key before you complete a motion on another.
The speed of the other instruments are related to the mass of the body and instrument parts and the distances that they must move.
The guitar and violin can be very fast because the strings are light and the motion down to the fingerboard is very short.
The violin is probably faster than the guitar because the guitar requires that a string be plucked for every note and the distances up and down the neck are longer.
The flute is faster than the Sax because the valves on the sax are heavier and must move farther.
Also lower pitched wind instruments are probably slower to start the air column in vibration that higher-pitched instruments. Think of playing a fast scale on a bass horn.
Breath reversals make the harmonica slower than the above instruments.  Wholetone trills are an example.
The trombone is slowest of all because of the large mass of the player's arm and slide and the very long motions required.

Virtuosos can be very fast on every instrument. 

Vern 







On Dec 2, 2010, at 9:51 PM, Rick Dempster wrote:

> Howsabout slide whistle?
> 
>>>> dmf 273 <dmf273@xxxxxxxxx> 3/12/2010 15:51 >>>
> Okay, maybe there is no objective scientific way to quantify the speed
> of an instrument.  Instead let me just ask your unscientific opinions:
> Please rate these instruments from slowest to fastest:
> 
> Piano, guitar, harmonica, flute, violin, trumpet, saxophone, trombone.
> Is this a stupid question with no answer?   I wonder what Bonfiglio
> would say about this topic?
> 
>