mr_so&so
23 posts
Jan 20, 2009
9:13 AM
|
I do a lot of my woodshedding during my half-hour walk to work. I live in Canada (OK, it's southern Ontario, but it's still winter here). I've been experimenting, trying to find the low temperature limit for harping, and I may have found it.
Yesterday was -9 C (13 F) and I still could play comfortably. It was just at the point where my breath could keep the reeds from freezing up, as long as I kept playing, and lip balm kept my lips from sticking. Today is -12 C and breezy. I didn't want to even try today. Lips refused to kiss the metal.
In some of Adam's YT videos he looks like he is going to expire in that hot car.... Anyone else done any harping in extreme conditions? Or done some extreme playing? E.g., I read a story about Sonny Boy II playing in England with no hands, holding the harp in his mouth like a cigar!
|
harmonicanick
115 posts
Jan 20, 2009
9:55 AM
|
Sonny Boy 11 did do that, and I am sure i saw Joe Filisko do it at the Harmonica festival in England a couple of years ago.
Sonny Boy also had a bottle of whiskey in his pocket!
I live in the west of England UK and we rarely get extreme conditions because of the westerly air stream and the gulf stream. We have not had snow (proper) for years, -3 C is extreme for us.
But I did play a tune up the Eiffel tower in Paris and it was - 9 and like you it was ok. I wouldent bother any lower!
|
harpnoodler
20 posts
Jan 20, 2009
9:59 AM
|
I'm also a Canadian (Eastern Ontario) but have lived in Winnipeg, which can get down to -40F. I have tried to play in about -30C, but if the harp has not been pre-warmed, your lips can freeze to it. I would avoid trying to play in weather colder than -15C unless you want a harp with built-in lips!
|
MrVerylongusername
123 posts
Jan 20, 2009
11:01 AM
|
Not a personal story, but some folk might not know that the harmonica was the first musical instrument played in space. You can see the very Lil' Lady that Wally Schirra smuggled onboard Gemini 6 here
|
GermanHarpist
47 posts
Jan 22, 2009
3:38 PM
|
Does the harp suffer in any way when exposed to such low temperatures (do the reeds go off)? What about high temperatures, e.g. lying in the car with the sun shining on it. Any experiences?
----------
http://www.youtube.com/germanharpist
|
Dark Dave
1 post
Jan 23, 2009
5:08 AM
|
In June last year I completed the Three Peaks Challenge - climbing the three highest mountains in the UK within a single 24 hour day.
I took my harp with me, and played it at the top of each mountain. It was a great feeling standing in the snow at the top of Ben Nevis watching the sun set, and hearing ths ound of the harmonica float off into the distance
|
Oisin
85 posts
Jan 23, 2009
10:37 AM
|
Nine below zero eh?, there's a song there somewhere.
Oisin
|
