Re: [Harp-L] Concerning bend impact on reeds

["Robert Laughlin" <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Vern. I knew that someone like yourself would step up to give the 
inside scoop. I appreciate having your perspective on things, on a molecular 
level.

Though, I suspect, even IF I knew that my hard playing on the instrument 
would cause reed failure sooner, I'd still play as much, and as hard. Since 
I play acoustically more often than amplified, I tend to drive the reeds 
harder, since 'I' AM the 'amplifier'.

I suppose I'd better man up and learn to replace reeds, or budget those 
replacement plates.

Thanks again.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Vern" <jevern@xxxxxxx>
To: "Robert Laughlin" <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2014 5:55 PM
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Concerning bend impact on reeds


> It is easy to assume that the extra effort that you exert to bend is felt 
> by the reeds.  However, the only thing that makes a reed "wear" is metal 
> fatigue which is function of the total number and amplitude of reed 
> vibrations.
>
> Because there are two reeds vibrating in a bend, you can make the argument 
> that the total number of cycles per reed is greater with a lot of bending. 
> Also, the some reeds may get extra usage because you are using them for 
> several notes of the scale, increasing the number of cycles.    However, 
> you are certainly not going to change the notes you play to avoid cycling 
> the reeds.
>
> I doubt that the amplitude of a reed is greater when it is vibrating at an 
> unnatural frequency. I would expect the opposite because a reed vibrates 
> more willingly at its natural frequency.
>
> For these reasons, I doubt that bending much accelerates reed failure. 
> Even if it does, there isn't much you can do about it unless you switch to 
> chromatics where reeds also fail.
>
> Vern
>
> On Feb 11, 2014, at 3:59 PM, Robert Laughlin 
> <harmonicaman1968@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > I'm assuming that any kind of bend causes more eventual wear on the reed 
> > than play that is free of any bending. I'm also assuming that whole step 
> > bends tend to deteriorate the reed faster than half step bends, though 
> > I'm also assuming that skillful bends by skilled players are less 
> > invasive, less damaging to the reed than wild, "unskilled" bends, since a 
> > skillful player tends to need less wind to do the job.
> >
> > Am I right so far?
> >
> > I wonder though, since I'm unfamiliar with overblows and overdraws,,
> >
> > Do overblows or overdraws potentially cause more damage or wear to the 
> > reed than simple bends?
> >
> > What kind of bends can ruin a harp, if performed badly? All? or specific 
> > bends.
> >
> > In other words, if the goal is not only to play well, but also to add 
> > longevity to the harp, what is important, as far as bends are concerned? 
> > Are there any specifics that can help one avoid sending the harp to an 
> > "early retirement"?
> >
> > I play my harps pretty hard from the get-go, and I've got a whole box of 
> > harps lying around "in retirement", waiting for repair. I apologize to 
> > them every so often for sending them there, in the "limbo" box. One of 
> > these days I'll man up and fix a few of them, when I grow a pair of 
> > brass, erm, "reeds".