[Harp-L] Re: Triple-Reed Specific

["Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks to Winslow for your very insightful analysis of the "The Future of
the Blues Harmonica". 

 

You're right that overblow players get confused because the bends on the
SUB30 are down on each reed (instead of up as with overbends). That was one
of the common initial responses at SPAH from the good overblow players, and
it took them aback at first. If they stayed testing for a few minutes they
started to get the idea, and most liked the feeling of the down bends - but
said it would take some getting used to.

 

A couple of very good overblow players who have made the adjustment quickly
and can now play both styles well are Filip Jers and Koei Tanaka. Not
surprising, as they are both Suzuki test players and have had their
UltraBends longer than others. They are also quite analytical jazz thinkers,
so probably can figure out the layout cerebrally better than most.

 

If players spend an hour or so noodling around, they get familiar with the
feel and start figuring out nice lines with the bends. But assimilating a
bunch of new licks for different styles takes a while. That's one of the
most exciting aspects for me: hearing a bunch of new sounds and phrases
coming out of the small 10 hole Richter harp. That will build momentum as
time goes on, and some players will soon make their reputations playing the
triple reed harp.

 

But many good overblowers may decide that their investment in time and money
into their overblow harps and chops makes them too committed to that path to
think of diverting. That kind of inertia is a big deterrent (as with the
reluctance ti try alternate tunings), and will be quite a brake on the
progress of the triple reed harp. But at least the tuning is the same, which
makes learning it easy for those familiar with Richter. I see the main
action coming from newer, younger players who are not so tied in to an
established style, and existing good players who never took to overblows.

 

As Winslow says, we'll see! Definitely a lower price and better out of the
box performance for triple reed harps is important to attract players. I'm
sure that will happen: my custom harp at SPAH convinced all who tried it
that the design does really come to life when set up well. I think Suzuki
will raise their game with the UltraBend (I'm an optimist!), good custom
versions will appear soon, and other manufacturers will come in with
good-performing competitors.

 

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Like you Winslow, I like the XB-40 too and am disappointed to see it
discontinued. Rick Epping's very clever design has got lots more potential
to come from it, in Richter and alternate tunings. But players really need
to put in the time with it, as the bending is less intuitive than with the
SUB30. The semitone bends on the UltraBend just fill the gaps in the scale
and it's easy to hold them to pitch for chromaticism. By contrast the big
bends on the XB require more control to hit the semitone in the middle of
the full tone bend. 

 

Speaking of which, I have a different theory to you Richard on why the XB-40
reeds last a long time. I think it's to do with the interval between blow
and draw reed pitches in each chamber. Aside from hole 3 draw, every reed
bends a full tone. That means there is a 3 semitone difference in pitch
between blow and draw in every hole, just as in hole 2 of a normal diatonic.
This is just intuition, but that interval between blow and draw in feels to
me a very stable and relaxed one. It feels like the high pitched reed is
"comfortable" and "supple". 

 

I know I'm getting into something akin to wine appreciation here ("I smell
cherries and wind-blown earth."), but I'm convinced that's the secret of the
XB's reed longevity, not the air-buffer effect of the comb design. (Though
that does sound more convincing on first hearing, I have to admit J) 

 

Regarding the unwanted extra sounds that kick in on the UltraBend on certain
chords Richard, I think your tape fix points to a possible solution. On my
first prototype from 1989, instead of having the auxiliary reeds gapped with
negative offset (sitting in the reedplate), they were normally gapped but
covered with an extra housing above them attached with a valve. You can see
the photo here:

 

http://www.brendan-power.com/History%20of%20the%20UltraBend.htm

 

Your tape effectively does the same thing as a valve: it stops air coming in
through the auxiliary reed when you draw, which cuts out the unwanted extra
reed vibration. It also physically stops the reed, which a valve doesn't do!
Anyway, I'm going to test the housing-above-the-reed design again to see if
it works as well as the tape, and will let you know!

 

However, even if it works it's not a practical fix in a commercial sense. I
spoke to Will Scarlett about the problem and he suggested cup valves glued
above the reed (not opposite it as normal). That would be a commercial
possibility if it works, so definitely worth a try too. 

 

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Here's to Harp-l! Alongside the occasional petty invective there are meaty
posts like those from Winslow and Richard that make very insightful points
and help advance the state of the art. Thanks to the moderator and all the
other who have kept this great forum running since it began.

 

Brendan Power

WEBSITE: www.brendan-power.com <http://www.brendan-power.com/> 

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