Re: [Harp-L] Reinventing the harmonica... again

[Zombor Kovacs <zrkovacs@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi!

To be honest I don't fully get how it works. My experience is that the devil is 
in the details. The idea can be ingenious, but one little detail can ruin it 
all. My first impression is that it is too complicated, but I might just be 
wrong. An idea is just a few percent of a real success. 

So I agree, make a prototype. If you have the enthusiasm to make it, and it 
works really good, you surely got something everybody wants to see! Personally I 
have never had this idea, I think simplicity is one of the keys to success. A 
better drawing (and explanation) would help understanding how it works anyway. 

cheers!
Zombor

www.zomborkovacs.atw.hu





----- Original Message ----
From: the ursprachist ursprach <theursprachist@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Fri, October 29, 2010 10:04:53 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Reinventing the harmonica... again

http://s3.amazonaws.com/files.posterous.com/theursprachist/6W93zDxPpC9hNW8IPoZrFvGpSiXXEAfcaom9LRcfur2KKrIl0zJFXfyKUhCr/reinventing.png.scaled.1000.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=1C9REJR1EMRZ83Q7QRG2&Expires=1288382864&Signature=Jl005qX5DY8zsn%2FjYM13ma61nlM%3D


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Picture 1: Works as a usual diatonic harmonica. Slides stay at position 0,
pincers at rest, airbag's contents half inside and half outside the discrete
chambers.

Picture 2: Overbend. Slide at maximum negative position, pincers squeezed
all of the airbag inside the discrete chambers.


Picture 3: Valved bends, i.e. single reed bends and overbends on the lowest
pitched reed of the hole become possible.

Picture 4: If slide's position is more than 0 and less than max, the pitch
decreases. If slide's position is less than 0 and more than -max, the pitch
increases.

Picture 5: All the harmonica. Airbags, pincers and slideboard.

Picture 6: Another model. The tiny microphone near the gap captures the
pitch and sends this data to a microchip which opens a pre-programmed,
desired chamber that corresponds to this pitch, which contains an airbag
adjusted by slides to the desired volume. This model has the advantage of
leaving the musician hands-free while performing, and making some technical
tricks easier, especially if he chooses to touch the slideboard while he
plays the harmonica.

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Read "discrete chambers" as "just like Suzuki Overdrive's, but bigger".
These two models offer Winslow Yerxa's Discrete Comb advantages without
requiring you to do tricky embouchures. It also delivers the advantages of
the XB-40 and the chromatic harmonica without compromising airtightness and
responsiveness. This model does not require the musician to afford multiple
harmonicas, one for each range or tuning: the slideboard may change the
tuning on the run, while he plays, without ever touching the reeds."

Originally posted at
http://theursprachist.blogspot.com/2010/10/reinventing-harmonica-again.html
,
by myself
let me hear your thoughts on this
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