Here is a link to a thread where we discussed it. A whole step shouldn't be a problem. I seem to remember hearing someone talking specifically about retuning harps around the C/D range, over preferences of long slot/short slot.
Depends on the reed and which way you're going. The upper reeds can be pretty thin at the tip so can be hard to raise a lot. If dropping add weight to tip rather than thinning reed at base.
The tuning I use relies on poster putty to drop 10 blow by 5 semitones and 1 blow by three semitones. Most others dropped as well though these most extreme. Works great but probably at or near limit.
Only time I've had durability problems are on reeds that were thinned at the base during factory tuning. While expedient for mfg, resulted in a reed that was suboptimal in terms of structure. Weight should have been added at the tip.
Last Edited by on Aug 21, 2012 5:43 PM
