Re: [Harp-L] tuning chromatic blow reeds

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Feb 11, 2012, at 9:03 PM, Toni Macaroni wrote:

> Thanks for the advice, George. Do you have a way to 'block" up the valve as
> well? I would really
> like to be able to do this without trying the patience of my family.

You can place a tooth pick under the valve. (a flat one). That should give you enough clearance. For more clearance a sliver of popsicle stick (fatter) will work. Why flat? A round toothpick will roll. A pin or small brad (finish nail) works for the reeds in cases where you want to hold them THROUGH the slots. I flatten the pins a bit with a hammer. Why? They will roll.   
> 
> Also, I have done tunings using a sanding wand but this will be my first
> tuning using the Hohner
> scraping tool. Do you have any advice on where to scrape and how much to
> scrape? I know that
> I should be scraping near the rivet to lower the pitch but that's about it.
> I want to avoid tuning followed
> by regaping followed by retuning etc as much as possible.

This has to be done by touch and experience. General rules: a.. to lower pitch stay in the 30% (or less) of the reed near the rivet. b.. to raise pitch, stay in the 30% (or less) near the tip.
Do not go past the 30%. Back up the reed with a piece of SINGLE edged razor blade or similar guage. Using a half of a double edge will be insufficient and if you press on the reed too hard, the single edge piece will flex and allow the reed to bow DOWN and it will wind up too far into the slot when you remove all the apparatus'. 

Special note: sanding wands. Take 10 or 12 popsicle sticks and hold them together with a small clamp. I use large binder clips. Slam the bundle down onto a hard surface to even them up. Coat the EDGES with contact cement. Slam the bundle of sticks onto a piece of emory onto the hard surface. You can use several grits. I use a file for 80-85, and wands for 280 and 950. Place a personal watercraft battery or some such heavy item on the bundle. Next day take the binder clips off, and cut down between the sticks with a razor knife. The thickness of the sticks will be the same as the reed widths. As the tips of the sticks load up with brass as you work, cut the tips back at a 45 angle with a pair of wire snips. This will keep producing a clean sharp tip to continue working with...until the sticks lengths are exhausted. 

Everything else that George Miklas has written is good advice. 

smokey-joe  (btw, investing in expensive tools isn't always necessary)
> 
> 
> 
> On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 5:08 PM, George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> I've done it both ways.
>> 
>>   - One reed for slight tuning adjustment--get a friend/spouse to gently
>>   hold the wind saver back with tweezers (or remove the wind saver), then
>>   proceed to push up the reed, block it, tune it.
>> 
>> 
>>   - Many reeds or much adjustment--remove the plates and save the agony.
>> 
>> George
>> 
>> 
>> On Sat, Feb 11, 2012 at 7:09 PM, Toni Macaroni <macaroni9999@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>> 
>>> Sorry about the double post. I had the wrong subject line in my previous
>>> post.
>>> 
>>> This is a question for chromatic players and techs. When tuning a blow
>>> reed that is sharp do you leave the reed plates on the harp and tune the
>>> reed in the manner that Steve Baker's video demonstrates (push the reed up
>>> through the slot and support it with the reed wrench and scrape near the
>>> rivet without damaging the valve) or do you remove the reed plate and tune
>>> as you
>>> would a draw note?
>>> 
>> 
>> -------------------
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