Re:[Harp-L] Re. Diminished Chromatic

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Brendan Power" wrote:
<Hi Konstantin: since you have good diatonic bending skills, why not
<half-valve your diminished chromatic? Then you can bend all the draw reeds a
<semitone.
...
 
<This gives a lot more expression and what I call 'bend enharmonics': notes
<that are the same as the existing notes but achieved through bends instead.
<This makes for more alternate phrasing options and more flowing lines.
...
<If you want to try, simply remove the covers and pull off all the outer
<valves (leave the inner ones alone). In addition to the musical benefits, it
<virtually eliminates sticking valves forever, a win-win! 

Very interesting stuff.  I presume that this approach can be applied to standard-tuned chromatics as well?

Regarding the importance of an airtight mouthpiece: is the Hohner CX-12 a superior choice in this regard?  

Finally, regarding embossing the reed slots: is that something to be done for every slot, or only for the slots exposed when valves are removed.

Finally finally, are there any other things that a (very) occasional harp tech should be aware of in order to avoid wrecking a pretty expensive instrument?

Thanks, Richard Hunter