PT: My friend Frank Bard was interested in a country tuned half valved harmonica. Frank bought a couple half valved almost 3 years ago after talking with you and taking your seminar at the 2009 Buckeye Harmonica Fest. Frank asked me 2 days ago to try and get a hold of you about Country Tuned Valved Harmonicas. I'm the guy that took you and Jimi Lee out to dinner that night in Columbus. We also talked at this past HCH in May. I'll have Frank get a hold of you , if you sell them. Thanks for the video. K.C. ---------- And I Thank You !! K.C. castlehomes69@yahoo.com
Thank you very much PT. I'm eagerly looking forward to your next video discussion of the technique. I'm a newbee player - not quite a year now - and I'm attracted to the possibility of valved diatonics. Not quite ready to take the leap, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if I try it at some point not too far down the road. Your example is, of course, and inspiration. ---------- Matthew
Thank you PT. I'm inspired to work harder at learning the nuances of my Christmas valved 1847. I had a little trouble with squealing but I've learned to correct that.
Well my 1847 is not customized, but it isn't a cheap harp either and it definitely requires very precise technique to keep valved bends from squealing. Valved bends without the squeal on this harp are more difficult than overblowing on harps I have gapped myself. I asked in an earlier thread about waxing the rivets. I guess it has rivets, I haven't had it apart yet. Maybe someday I will spend for a customized harp, but for now I will learn to deal with it as is.
Don't wax the rivets! It is not the same as a squealing overblow. Obviously a totally tricked out harp will play better, BUT that doesn't mean yours is defective or not at a good standard.
I have a D from PT and it took a few minutes to figure out the valved bends, but I have no squealing issues. The harps PT sells are of great quality and service. The price is more than reasonable too. ---------- Mike VHT Special 6 Mods Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas - When it needs to come from the soul...
HarpNinja I know the harp from PT is excellent quality and per your advice I have no intention of waxing the rivets. As I said, I will learn to deal with it as is. But, it is a much bigger problem than I expected and more difficult to control than I think it should be. It may not have the same cause as overblow squealing, but it sure sounds a lot like the overblows on my OOTB Lee Oscars.
I actually think the squealing might be just a technique problem (and I'm not sure I agree with Jim's statement). When I first started trying to learn the valve bends I also had a problems with squealing (specifically the valve draw bends). Eventually I figured out the correct technique and all the squealing disappeared. Right now I have the same exact crappy harp that I learned on (it's a beat up old huang harp that I valved myself) and I can't get it to squeal anymore. It's been so long, and my technique has gotten to a point where now I can't figure out what I was doing to cause it to squeal.
I guess if you really think it is the harp, the only thing you can do to know for sure is send it to someone who's experienced with valved bends and have them check it. PT would, of course, be a good person to help you. Although, you'll have to pay the shipping charges(and they might end up sending it right back to you letting you know that there's nothing wrong), so you might want to keep working at it first, to be as sure as you can that it's not a technique problem.
Sorry I can't be more help, but it can be difficult to accurately diagnose problems like this online, without actually seeing and trying the harp.
OOTB valved diatonic + correct technique = no squeals, correct bent note OOTB valved diatonic + incorrect technique (trying to bend too far) = only squeals proper setup valved diatonic + correct technique = no squeals, correct bent note proper setup valved diatonic + incorrect technique = no sound at all.
also possible variant, though it is rare:
OOTB valved diatonic + correct technique = correct bent note but squealing
Thank you Jim for the clarification. I could not agree more. The Gazell Method harmonicas are not what I would call a customized instrument: They are set up to play exactly like my instruments. I believe this to be a half valved friendly setup. I will say that the top octave valved draw bends are harder to dial in than the middle and bottom octave blow bends. Jim is right on with his diagnosis. Most of the time it is technique. I usually recommend folks getting a G, A or Bb as their first valved diatonic. The reason being that the top octave draw bends are easier to achieve because of the longer reeds. Once they dial in what they need to do to achieve those bends, they can carry the technique over to higher pitched harmonicas and make subtle tweaks to compensate. HarpNinja bought a D, but I have heard him play and knew his technique was sound, and he would have very little difficulty getting the hang of it. I met a woman at Hill Country Harmonica last May (Harpin' Holley) who was very interested in the whole valving thing. She was a proficient bender of notes. I simply asked her to blow bend holes 8 and 9 and hold the bent note. She did this very well....I then said "without thinking about it, now drop down and blow bend holes 5 and 6" she played very nice blow bends immediately. The draw bends took her about 10 minutes to figure out. AGAIN: There is no magic bullet!!!! You must practice and be a good bender of notes to get the most out of any harmonica...valved included. I have thought a lot about when I first started valving and think I have changed they way I bend all my notes: valved, unvalved, blow and draw. It feels very uniform to me now and I do believe I have refined this because of the demands of single reed bends. It has helped me become a better player all around and I will humbly tell you I was a good bender before I went down this road...I am better than that now.
Thanks to all who have chimed in on this. As a lot of you already know, I am glad to answer questions if I can and greatly appreciate all of you who have tried one of these instruments. Your feedback is critical and useful.
PT ---------- "Life...10 Holes & 20 Reeds At A Time"
