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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
What is "playability?"
What is "playability?"
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the_happy_honker
1 post
Aug 08, 2010
6:22 AM
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Hi everyone!
I'm very new to harp playing and I'm very glad this forum exists so I can gain from all the knowledge and lore. Recently I've been trying to make sense of the term "playability," which I see referred to a lot, but nobody explains what it means. Did I miss a FAQ somewhere on this?
I have tried about 15 different models (yeah, I went a bit crazy on the gear) and it seems to me that, as a beginner-intermediate, a playable harp is:
1) Easy to bend. OK, most harps can be made to bend more easily by adjusting the gapping, but we're talking out-of-the-box here. Suzuki Harpmaster and Sp20 are awfully good.
2) Easy to cup. I have slender, small to medium-sized hands and I had to go through several harps before I found one (Sp20) that I could get an air-tight grip on, using Adam's "thumb's up" method, rather than the usual "lobster pinch" (or whatever it's called).
Side vents would seem to limit how air-tight cupping can be. Do MB and 1847 players have some special technique?
3) Easy to get and keep an air tight lip-harp seal, especially when moving fast up and down the harp.
Why does the reed plate jut out from the cover plate and the comb? I can understand it in the case of Marine Bands: Hohner is obviously anticipating some expansion in the comb due to moisture. But why build the harp the same way when the comb material is stable? Why not make a harp in which the cover plates, reed plates and comb form one continuous curve, so that keeping an air-tight seal is easy? Plastic combs are better in this respect, but not perfect.
I ground down the reed plates on my ProHarp with 1000-grit emery paper and it vastly improved the seal I was getting.
I'm sure playability criteria change as one's experience grows. How do YOU use the term "playability?" Thanks!
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jim
275 posts
Aug 08, 2010
6:53 AM
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1) this makes no sense to compare, because any model can be any way outofthebox - from perfect to completely awful
2) side-vents are there if your hold it real airtight, especially when you have huge hands - you can hold it so that no air escapes in and out (try it on a Seydel Big Six - it's an extreme example.) So in order for it not to happen, side-vents are made.
3) no comments on marinebands, no one knows why they are so neglected by Hohner :) In general, sandwich-type combs are more airtight than inside-lying reedplates like on sp20.
You forgot 4) having a good tuning out of the box, and keeping that tuning stable throughout the life of the reed. Hohners are really the worst here in both aspects.
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www.truechromatic.com
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nacoran
2444 posts
Aug 08, 2010
11:29 AM
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I think there is a school of thought that says that the closer your lips are to the reeds the easier they are to control. Plastic combed harps like the SP20's and LO's put the reeds a little farther in to create that nice smooth lip out front.
I find protruding reed plates are rough on my lips too, but they can be sanded down and smoothed. I have a Seydel with an aluminum comb and a protruding reed plate that is amazing. On the topic of comfort, the Golden Melodies feel great in the hand, although they are the worst offender in my book for the rough edge on the reed plates.
As for playability, I'd add reeds that respond quickly so you don't miss the beat!
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Nate
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