Pauly21
15 posts
Oct 15, 2012
5:51 PM
|
Ok, first I thought it was an old crappy harp, but now I know it's me. On every harp I have, old or new, cheap or expensive, I squeel on the 8 and 9 draw. I get almost no sound out at all, just a whistle or squeel. When I move up to 10 draw, I get the right note.
What can I change about my playing or my harps (gapped up or down perhaps) to remedy this?
|
Nisei
13 posts
Oct 15, 2012
7:37 PM
|
Lots of people use just a 'slight bend' type of draw without realizing it; perhaps you too are unintentionally creating a bending airstream. As it happens, that slight bend incidentally makes 1-6 draws a little cooler sounding but it can choke 7-10 draws and make them squeal.
I recommend making sure that you can draw without constricting the airflow. This'll sound weird, but imagine drawing the air along the bottom of your mouth, and a piece of popcorn rolling along on top of the stream of air. Draw in low and gently, and you won't crush your popcorn. Draw 8 and 9 like that and they shouldn't squeak.
|
HarveyHarp
378 posts
Oct 15, 2012
8:13 PM
|
Nisei is correct. A lot of people bend draw notes, when they really don't mean to do so. Try an experiment. I am assuming that you are a lip purser, so try to take your top lip off the harp when you draw on the last 4 holes. Your draw notes should should sound loud and clear. Furthermore, in my opinion (I always say that) the tighter the harp, the worse the problem. I think what is going on is that you are in the first stages of an overdraw, but you are never finishing it. If you enlarge the gaps on those holes a little, it should help.
----------
HarveyHarp
|
STME58
269 posts
Oct 15, 2012
10:46 PM
|
I had a LoD in my hand so I tried what Nisei said to see if I could make the harp squeel. I could. Then reading what HarvyHarp wrote, I went for the overdraw and got it. I have been trying to figgure out how to get the overdraw to sound and you guys helped! Its not pretty yet but it is there.
I hope Pauly21 can get rid of the squeel.
|
Nisei
14 posts
Oct 16, 2012
2:27 PM
|
STME58: Yeah, crazy, isn't it? It turns out that overbends are just bends. Draw and overdraw, blow and overblow; they should have the same embouchure, tongue position and everything. Once you can bend, the biggest obstacle on the way to overbending is gapping. And, of course, actual skill with controlling your airflow. I still can't get the 10 overdraw, but that's to be expected since my 10 half step blow bend sucks. Need more control over the airflow!!!
|
Pauly21
16 posts
Oct 17, 2012
6:51 AM
|
Harvey and Nisei, thanks so much! I've started doing this and it's helping already.
Harvey, interested though in how you take your top lip off the harp. I don't understand how to create a suction if the top lip is off. Could you explain the embouchure you use a little better? thanks.
|
HarveyHarp
380 posts
Oct 17, 2012
7:35 AM
|
I just test the reed with my top lip off, to make sure I am not bending it. I don't play that way. If you can draw the top 4 reeds with your lip off, but not on, then you need to control when you bend and when you do not, instead of it being involuntary.
----------
HarveyHarp
|
Joselito
2 posts
Oct 17, 2012
3:30 PM
|
The other thing you could try if you're wanting to avoid inadvertent bends - on any octave - is tongue-blocking. Not always appropriate or easy in the middle of a lip-pursing passage, but it's what I always use if I want to be sure of the "pure" pitch of a reed on a particular note.
|
Pauly21
17 posts
Oct 18, 2012
5:28 AM
|
Guys, thanks for the really helpful posts on this subject. They've caused me to do a bunch of my own research, where I've just learned that there are no bends available on 7-10 draws. Didn't know that before. Much better understanding of the physics of the harp now and even learned what's happening during an overblow.
So, I'll keep working on my embouchure and breath on those high draws. Also need to get comfortable gapping the harp myself.
Thanks again.
|
barbequebob
2049 posts
Oct 18, 2012
12:00 PM
|
Pauly21, this is a BIG reason why I tell players to take the time and learn where EVERY single note is on their harps, and what's available be it with/without bends or overblows so you don't wind up making this incredibly COMMON mistake harp players often do all the time, especially among beginning players.
There are plenty of notation charts available on the internet so that you can learn where everything is and along with knowing where you are 24/7, you will avoid damaging your instruments from trying to bend past the floor of the available bend, which many players often do and those are the people who often complain about blowing harps out fast, and it's a big reason for that happening.
Learning breath control for THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT is VERY important to learn and the average player often doesn't think it's important and better breath control along with avoiding bending past the floor of the bend will not only make your playing much improved, you get the financial benefit of not frequently blowing out harps as well.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
Honkin On Bobo
1069 posts
Oct 18, 2012
12:50 PM
|
pauly,
I have trouble on the high end too.
Thanks to Harvey and Nisei for the great tips/advice. Provides new found motivation to get back in there and do some experimentin'.
Right on.
|
