[Harp-L] PowerBender (and PowerDraw) & Stuff

[Jeff Brown]

Bob
You say you are a beginner... don't go down these overblow, power draw rabbit holes; you will only get frustrated. Work on your tone, tab out songs you love, practice your scales until you can do it by rote and find open mics or hook up with a band that will let you sit in. As you develop confidence, you will get so much better!
Jeff 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Dec 9, 2016, at 2:05 AM, Rick Dempster <rickdempster33 at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
> I can't do half-valved. It sounds bad when I do it. I've messed with
> "overblows" for thirty-odd years,
> and that is a single reed bend too, just like the OB. I don't like that
> sound much either. Some of the OB
> players make it sound OK, but when I do it, it doesn't make me very
> comfortable.
> Lately I've been using Sub30s, either customised by Zombor Kovacs, or using
> Tom Halchak's over-valve plates.
> That sounds good to me, but it's still not perfect. The reed response is
> always
> a little more sluggish with the 30 reed harps.
> If you want to play tunes with more than three or four chords, these are
> the options, like it or not.
> Then again, I've upped my practice on the chromatic.
> Should taken up the trumpet I suppose.
> RD
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> On 8 December 2016 at 13:20, Bob Marsolais <bob at xxxxx> wrote:
>> 
>> Good question.  I was thinking about posting the same question only for the
>> PowerDraw tuning.  Since I am a beginner, I figured it is best to stick
>> with
>> the standard Richter tuning that probably 95%+ of harp players use.  That
>> way there is a lot of teaching material available.  If I switch to
>> PowerDraw
>> (or PowerBend) then it significantly cuts down on the available learning
>> material, not to say my selection of harps.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> On the other hand, PowerDraw is a nice compromise.  It is Richter from
>> holes
>> 1-6.  Holes 7-10 keep the same breathing style as 1-6, that is, blow low
>> and
>> draw high.  That is supposed to make bending easier in the highest
>> register.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> But then half valving is also supposed to make bending easier, or so say
>> the
>> YouTube videos.  And half valving is also supposed to give you full
>> chromaticity without overblowing, another advantage.
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Any comments?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Bob
>> 
>> 
>> 
>>