Littoral
22 posts
Jul 03, 2010
2:36 PM
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Bending and OB's.
Whose fancy shop skills thought this up?
Nobody. That's my hypothesis.
I know a little harp history, like they were invented in China, but what about bending? I've heard it said that they were not intended in the "original" modern design. I'm referring to the MB style harp as opposed to many of the other valiant attempts to make a functional instrument. Why were they called diatonic if they're chromatic?
By extension, from bending, we could ask if the notes available by OB's were designed into the harp.
Most of us would, I'd guess, say no.
So if OB tones are not by design then it could/would/should follow that bends were not intended in the design either.
????
Heckle at will
(and link if this has already been kicked around).
Last Edited by on Jul 03, 2010 3:46 PM
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tookatooka
1497 posts
Jul 03, 2010
3:35 PM
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So what are you saying? That we should stop playing the blues and march up and down playing Bavarian Oompah music the way Bauschman intended?
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Littoral
23 posts
Jul 03, 2010
3:38 PM
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tookatooka @ "So what are you saying?"
like I said, heckle at will...
I'm asking if anybody knows anything more
about the history and physics.
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arzajac
268 posts
Jul 03, 2010
3:43 PM
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Who cares?
Guitars were first meant to be played standing up (with the neck up in the air and the player sitting down). That's why they are shaped the way they are. Have you seen anyone play the guitar that way lately?
Does whether (over)bends were a question of design or a side-effect matter?
Or are you not really saying it matters, just saying' for the sake of sayin'?
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tookatooka
1499 posts
Jul 03, 2010
3:44 PM
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Littoral @ "So if OB tones are not by design then it could/would/should follow that bends were not intended in the design either".
I thought you were making a statement. Oh! I just saw your question mark had dropped down.
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Littoral
24 posts
Jul 03, 2010
3:52 PM
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arzajac @ "Who cares?"
It's a seriously crazy coincidence if harps just happened to be able to do anything beyond blow draw notes. I don't think they were designed for other notes.
I (ME) think that's amazing and
I'd like to know if it's really true.
Last Edited by on Jul 03, 2010 3:52 PM
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tookatooka
1500 posts
Jul 03, 2010
4:05 PM
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Yeah it is weird. When you look at how the harmonica seems to have been just right for the blues, it makes you wonder if the blues were invented to make the most of the limitations of the harmonica.
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nacoran
2335 posts
Jul 04, 2010
2:55 PM
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Free reeds where invented in China, but the harmonica was invented in the West. The first 'modern' harmonicas were German.
Your right. Originally harmonicas were designed to be played in 1st position. Blues turned that on it's head with bends, which weren't a design feature but a happy side effect of unexpected physics. Blow bends and over blows are just more happy accidents.
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Nate
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mikolune
32 posts
Jul 05, 2010
5:24 AM
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There was this academic paper about diatonic harmonica physics that was pretty good:
http://www.harpinanawhinin.com/harp_bending_attributes_article.pdf
I think it was already referenced in this forum.
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