[Harp-L] Tension Headache



Okay, so, while waiting for my valved harps and PT Gazell valves to arrive, I decided to bear down and try to set up one of my harps for overblows. I heard a rumor that after you learn a certain amount about how to do it, the key thing is determination. So far this seems partly true.

I have arced and gapped the reeds on my Bb Special 20. I contrived a light box, and have embossed the reed slots of 4, 5, and 6. You know how, sometimes, when you're part way through cleaning a room, and it looks worse before it looks better? That's how my week has been. Early on, I got some pretty robust overblows on 4, 5, an 6. Then I got greedy and tried to get 1 overblow. Put the harp back together, and couldn't get 4, 5, or 6 for nuthin'.

Searched the archives to see if anyone had written anything definitive on why plinking is better than putting the reed plate up to your mouth and drawing air through to sound the reed (per Rupert's DVD -- Hi, Rupert!). Didn't find anything definitive on that, but Smokey Joe is a genius: He wrote that instead of screwing the harp back together every time, you can take two large binder clips -- the black ones made of spring steel -- clamp them on the ends, and try out your modification without all that screwing and unscrewing every time. I tried it, and darned if I didn't get 4, 5 and 6 overblows again. Screwed the harp back together, couldn't get them. Backed the interior screws off a bit (Did I have them so tight that I was warping the reed plates?), but no joy. Gapped and embossed too far, backed off, back and forth, stayed in denial and just tried for determination... last couple of days: bupkis.

Just now I disassembled the harp, held it together gently, and didn't I overblow 4, 5, and 6 as just nicely as you please. Put on the binder clips, and lost the overblow on chamber 5. Took the clips back off and got it, again. Can anyone explain what's going on, here, and what the remedy is? Besides using the binder clips permanently, that is: They make my harp look like an elongated X-Wing Fighter, which is kind of cool, but it won't fit in the case, and once a clip flew off and might have maimed someone, had someone been standing there. I can't afford that kind of risk in the long term.

Thanks in advance.

Oh, and I was traveling when Michelle asked why people wanted so much to play chromatic notes on diatonic harps. My reason: Gluttony.

Elizabeth




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