Re: [Harp-L] duplicate reeds, different sizes, chromatic

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

All four of the reeds in each hole are the same length.  The duplicate Cs  and C#s are in different holes and thus have different lengths.  The enharmonics E#/F and B#/C  are in the same hole and have the same length.

There are manufacturing economies in having fewer lengths of reeds.    

The pitch of a reed is determined by the ratio of stiffness to weight near the tip.  Added length tends to make a reed less stiff.  As you know from tuning, stiffness is also affected by thickness near the rivet and weight is affected by thickness near the tip.  Therefore, the longer of two reeds of the same pitch will be thicker near the rivet and/or thinner near the tip.

Be sure to tell your wife so she'll know from now on.  I told my wife and got her standard harmonica answer: "That's nice, Dear"

Vern  


On Sep 16, 2013, at 1:46 PM, JON KIP <jonkip@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I'm wondering, and not for the first time, why the reeds for the duplicated notes, for instance,  the duplicated C's, are made with different sized reeds....next to each other, providing the same pitch....
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> I know it works, because....it does...
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> anyone know of the  genesis of this setup?
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> I suspect that Vern will know, and that history guy, John B also.....
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> and perhaps Winslow.... 
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> my wife doesn't know, so please don't suggest that I ask her.
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> Perhaps Joe L, might have been there when the reed sizing decision was made....
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> thanks
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> and no, this, unlike most of the posts of mine, is not practice-avoidance.....
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> .... well , not totally..... well, ok..... it IS practice avoidance, but doctor-approved, my chiro guy said to limit my playing for a few days...I think he knows my neighbors.....
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> jk
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> jonkip.com
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