[Harp-L] The results of the "cupping back" challenge by David Pearce

[Joseph Leone]

I have a question. Who started the idea of: ‘as much harp in the mouth as possible’. Any takers? 
sm0joe

> On Aug 2, 2017, at 4:03 PM, Greg Heumann <greg at xxxxx> wrote:
> 
>> 
> 
> Outstanding response from Vern! Because… Physics! I would add one other bit of info to the discussion. As a rule, I’ve found harp players underestimate the amount of sound that comes out the FRONT of the harmonica. If you don’t believe it, try completely sealing the rear of your harp with a piece of masking tape.  Good cupping involves using hands and face, as well as an “as much harp in the mouth as possible” embouchure. I couldn’t come CLOSE to doing this on a chromatic, but the more you can do the better. On a diatonic, it makes the difference between underwhelming  “wah" effects and great big “WAH" ones.  This is true whether playing acoustic or amplified. 
> 
> 
> /Greg
> 
> http://blowsmeaway.com
> http://facebook.com/blowsmeawayproductions
> 
> "You’re going to like the way you sound. I guarantee it."
> 
> When responding to this email, please include the copy of our previous conversations.
> 
> 
>> There are two acoustic effects that prevent shape changes from affecting the perceptible volume of a harmonica.
>> 
>> Diffraction says that sound emanates from openings of less than a wavelength in a spherical wavefront pretty much equal in all directions.  There is no dimension of a harmonica that approaches the wavelength of sounds in the instrument?s range.  Therefore,  the shapes of covers have no directional influence.
>> 
>> The response of the human ear is logarithmic.  The sound power must increase by about 100% or decrease by about 50% before you notice a difference.  There is a story that may or may not be true about the young engineer who promised to redesign the exit nozzle of a jet engine to reduce the sound power by 50%.  He succeeded but his boss couldn?t notice the improvement and fired him.
>> 
>> Try closing a door with sound on the other side.  You will notice that there isn?t much difference between the door barely cracked open and standing completely open. There is a big difference in completely closed and barely cracked open. 
>> 
>> In harmonicas, the biggest sound change occurs between completely closed and a barely open hand cup.  The change between barely and completely open is much less. 
>> 
>> Vern
> 
> 
> 
>