Subject: [Harp-L] a Funny thing happened on the way to the harmonica store...

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Hi again, Karl:
 
I seem to be one of those with a particular response to your queries.  I'm 
glad it's working out for you with your chromatics. You'll probably buy  
another at some point, but you shouldn't rush into it. Take your time to  find 
the one to suit you. I still play one of my quite old and special  260's as 
well, btw. It's a nice little chromatic.
 
 I now have 8 (count 'em) felines in residence, so I'd say your  cats are 
definitely reacting to your playing, but not necessarily in a negative  way. 
Cats have a way of removing themselves from anything they find  
uncomfortable or which hurts their ears...yours would make themselves  scarce if the 
sound was bothering them. They probably do actually like it....and  their 
'aggression' towards each other is more that they've been stimulated and  are 
merely acting out this new energy level...e.g...when one of mine sees a bird  
on the windowsill he smacks the kitty nearest to him...even though he'd been  
happily snuggling a couple of minutes before. It's purely a reaction to the 
 stimulus of the bird being so close by.
 
Previously,  one of my older cats would climb on the counter  whenever I 
sang along with the radio, nudge me hard and then bite the ends of my  hair 
purring wildly..  I never quite knew then if it was a critique or  not...but 
have since learned more about cats (and dogs) and now know she was  actually 
expressing approval.
 
BTW my cats and dog all seem to enjoy the sound of my CX-12's in  
particular,  haha..
 
I definitely do think you should videotape it. People seem to thoroughly  
enjoy animal videos...and one incorporating harmonica would be of special  
interest to some of us.
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 6
Date: Sun, 28 Mar 2010 12:56:10 -0700 (PDT)
From: karl  sperber <phdconga@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] a Funny thing happened  on the way to the harmonica
store...
To: harp-L mail list  <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
again 
I want to say "thanks" to all who took  the time to respond to my previous 
post, asking whether to buy new or have my  old chromatics worked on.
Well, funny thing happened:  the more I've  been playing them, they better 
they sound (shocking, right?).  I can  recognize some windsaver problems, 
but I've been especially impressed with the  260 which just seems to be 
sounding better and playing more easily all the  time!  I'm sure it's partly the 
instrument and partly my technique  improving.
So now I'm in no hurry to buy a new harp.  I plan to look  into getting 
mine serviced and perhaps doing some of the work myself.
Again,  many thanks.
My problem now - and perhaps some of you can shed light on this  - is that 
my playing is having a strange effect on our cats!  We have  two.  About 5 
minutes into my playing they start "meowing" loudly, sounding  like they are 
in pain!  But they are attracted too and have to be in the  same room I'm 
in!  Another 5 or 10 minutes of playing and they start  "fighting" with each 
other (not really, more like rough-housing).  If I  stop playing, they stop 
wrestling and sit there looking at each other.   When I resume playing, 
almost immediately, one of them will pounce!
I plan to  try to get this on youtube!
Tell me straight:  Could their behavior be a  reflection on my playing?
Karl"