Re: [Harp-L] "Yup, whoever did this did it themselves..."

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Speaking of half valving...

I once had a plumber fix a problem under my kitchen sink. He opened the 
doors of the cabinet and stood back rubbing his chin for a moment and 
then said, "Yup, whoever did this did it themselves." Of course he was 
referring to the hack job some "do it yourselfer" had applied to the 
under-sink plumbing. And by that, of course, he meant that it was going 
to cost a pretty penny to fix it right.

So it goes with half-valving a diatonic.

I was at a harp fest 7-8 years ago as PT Gazell was debuting his 
landmark "Swingin' Easy, Hitting Hard" CD and knocking folks out with 
his beautiful chromatic jazz. I was bowled over by PT's playing and even 
more stunned by his generosity in teaching me and others in attendance 
just how he makes and applies his valves. So impressed I purchased a set 
of Suzuki Promaster harps right at the fest and went outside to find a 
local source of PT's valve material. Came back just in time to sit down 
with PT when he was giving a little "Masterclass" on installing valves 
and playing a half-valved diatonic.

I judiciously went about half-valving those 12 Suzuki's (great harps, 
BTW) and ~trying~ to play some simple chromatic tunes. I achieved some 
degree of success but soon realized that chromaticism PT Gazell-style 
was going to be a very long haul indeed. However... I did discover how 
fun it is to be able to bend those "unbendable" notes, principally for 
me those in the lower and middle registers. The tonal color thus 
afforded is significant for me.

Wind forward to a couple years ago.

When PT heartily endorsed Seydel Harmonicas and spoke so highly of their 
stainless reeds I asked Suzuki's Rupert Oysler to make me up an 
equal-tuned 1847 Silver with Blues Favorite coverplates (this was before 
Seydel was offering Gazell Method diatonics). Yes, exactly the 
configuration PT was playing then and as far as I know he plays still.

Now comes the bump in the road. I had hoped to make my new 
Rupert-Special harp my constant companion, especially given the reported 
longevity of the SS reeds and the enthusiasm of so many respected 
players. I immediately half-valved it the way I thought PT had taught me 
years before, but unfortunately mine turned out to be a difficult 
marriage with my new Seydel. I had a hard time adjusting my playing to 
the new SS environment. I tried with limited success adjusting reed gaps 
and profiles, but was afraid of damaging the reeds in some way. After a 
period of frustration and wonderment (about all the good press the 
Seydel reed system was getting) my enthusiasm over the new harp slowly 
diminished.

That was until I saw a video that PT recodred with the Grateful Dead 
cover project recently posted that knocked me plumb out. Reinvigorated, 
I contacted PT and he kindly agreed to take a look at my harp. After a 
few days he returned the instrument fully upgraded to "Gazell Method" 
status, complete with his stylish sticker proudly announcing its new 
configuration.

PT, in his typical gentle, low key style essentially told me, "Yup, 
whoever did this did it themselves." I thought I knew the essentials of 
half-valving a diatonic, having studied under the Master and applied 
several dozen valves myself. I don't know the details of what PT does to 
when he transforms a normal, everyday harmonica into a Gazell Method 
instrument, but I think a good deal of it must be Mojo. Yes, my "new" 
harp has definite Mojo. It plays so differently and so much better that 
I am now re-infused with the interest and excitement I discovered at 
that harpfest years ago. And now scope of my enthusiasm has widened to 
include the Seydel SS reed system. I now realize that I just shot myself 
in the foot with my first. It will not be my last Gazell Method harmonica!

Thank You, PT Gazell! (And Rupert Oysler, too!)

Michelle