[Harp-L] New Tool and Method for Improving Harmonica Reed Response

[The Iceman]

Interesting debate, although getting a bit wordy when both sides try to justify their positions.
My personal real life experience has shown that different ideas seem to work at different times on different harmonicas....sometimes an idea that worked on one (for instance) Golden Melody "C" didn't work so good on the other Golden Melody "C". I do agree, however, that custom made and/or tweaked harmonicas respond better than most OTB ones.
Perhaps there is just not enough clinical consistency in the manufacture of harmonicas to say that one concept/solution is the end all and be all answer....


-----Original Message-----
From: Laurent Vigouroux <laurent.vigouroux at xxxxx>
To: Vern <jevern at xxxxx>; Brendan Power <bren at xxxxx>


Hello Vern and all

First thanks for this very interesting discussion.
A few comments from an "experienced amateur" much interested in diatonic harmonica, physics and scientific proof.

>From my point of view, the diatonic harp does have lots of strange behaviors, which are probably not easy to explain with physics. Not everything can be accurately modelized. The interactions between the opening and the closing reeds are really complex and very small changes (I really mean very small changes) can dramatically change the instrument response to bending and overblowing.

(etc etc etc)

Now, it is not easy to define precisely the impact of each type of modification (embossing, arching, nail polishing, adjusting the reed in the chamber, etc ...) on the playability, and even more difficult I think to understand the physics behind it. This is the craftmanship of technician. But the overall result is clear and this is what matters to musicians.

My two cents __

Laurent
www.planetharmonica.com