[Harp-L] Re. Chrome Valves and Bending

["Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In answer to Robert Hale: 

 

"I want to understand about valves and bending on a chrome.
(I watched Brendan's video for removing SOME valves to achieve bending on a
chrome.) Which valves come off and why?"

 

It depends on the tuning. If, as I assume, you are using standard Solo
tuning, you can remove the outside valves on the odd-numbered holes
1,3,5,7,9,11 on both upper and lower reedplates. This gives you a semitone
draw bend on those holes.

 

The reasons these valves are the ones selected for removal in Solo tuning is
that in the odd-numbered holes you have a tone bwteen the draw note (high)
and the blow note (low). This gives a semitone draw bend. 

 

On the even-numbered holes the intervals between blow and draw notes is a
semitone, so there is no useful interactive-reed bend to be had. So it's
better to leave those valves on, for better response. You can trim them back
from the end of the slot by a 1mm or so to give them a slightly more 'airy'
sound to match the holes with the valves fully removed. 

 

Leave all the inside valves in place.

 

If you change the tuning of the chrom (as I do) to a tuning where ALL draws
are a tone or more above the blows, then you can remove all outside valves
and get interactive-reed draw bends on all draw notes. My preferred tuning
is PowerChromatic, but others that will work in this way are Diminished and
Wholetone, among others.

 

If you do remove any outside valves you should:

 

1.      Make sure your chrom is very airtight in every respect (slide
mechanism especially)

2.      Reduce the gap on the blow reeds in the holes where the outside
valves is removed

 

Reed slot embossing is recommended also.

 

Hope this gives you the understanding of the principle involved,

 

Brendan

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

 <http://www.youtube.com/BrendanPowerMusic>
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