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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Harp retune fail
Harp retune fail
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didjcripey
7 posts
Nov 11, 2010
10:48 PM
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Man I'm sick of buying new harps all the time, at over fifty bucks a pop it adds up. Had my first go at fixing a marine band, two reeds flat and one sharp after a few months (hard )playing. Followed instructions from youtube, fixed two reeds no worries and was pretty pleased with myself, but there was one of the flat draw reeds that just wouldn't come right; nearly, but not enough. Got to the stage where it wouldn't 'plink' then the reed just fell out of the body. I surmise that it was metal fatigue and no amount of skill would have saved it. I know the next stage would be to replace the reed, but I'll have to psych myself up for that one.
The whole deal has put me right off Marine bands as they seem to have the shortest lifespan, as the Prof said in one his tutorials 'this ones just worn in so it will be ready to blow out soon'.
I've been playing Manjis for about six months now and love them but the first of these has started to go, seems that Lee Oskars last for years, I've got an A minor that has been hammered for four years that is just as good as new, but some of my other Oskars are starting to go too.
Seems like I have three options; 1)learn to replace as well as retune reeds; 2)keep two sets of harps, twelve dollar chinese ones for practice and Manjis for performance or 3) find me a rich woman who loves harp.
Lucky Lester
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ricanefan
80 posts
Nov 11, 2010
11:28 PM
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Search high and low for #3, then you can work at #1 at your own leisure, and perhaps even forget about cheap harps (two sets of Manjis to tinker on!)...
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harmonicanick
1001 posts
Nov 12, 2010
12:37 AM
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@didjcripey
You should read any of the previous threads on this subject, and you will find BarbequeBob's posts relating to breath control.
This will give you a fourth option - stop blowing so hard:)
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didjcripey
9 posts
Nov 12, 2010
2:21 AM
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Thanks Nick that's great advice, and BBQ Bob's stuff in the archives is priceless.
I suspect that there may be some exceptions to the rule though, (as always), particularly when different styles of playing are concerned. I had a go at playing the prof's Crossroads Blues for harmonica 'as if trying not to wake a sleeping baby in the next room', and it didn't quite cut it.
Sometimes I want to make it scream, and I guess blowing reeds is the cost.
Fortunately option 3 is actually looking pretty good (they don't call me Lucky for nothing), but I'd better do some more work on technique in case that falls through.
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hvyj
825 posts
Nov 12, 2010
2:47 AM
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You know, until i recently got a set of Buddha harps I had been playing Suzuki Hammonds for about 3 years with no reeds going bad and i play out 2-3 nights most weeks. After about 2 1/2 years i thought my C harp was going very slightly flat on some notes, so i bought a set of replacement reedplates for $22.
Btw, I also happen to think MBs are the crappiest harps made.
All that being said, i suspect you are hard on harps because you play with too much breath force. When i first started out 30+ years ago, i would flat out a MB in a weekend of hard playing if it was a key I used a lot. Went through a lot of harps before i learned to play with proper breath technique. BUT, frankly, if you learn to play with an open airway, relaxed oral resonance chamber and produce all air flow from the diaphragm, you can still play with a pretty strong attack and not blow out your harps.
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didjcripey
10 posts
Nov 12, 2010
3:12 AM
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More words of wisdom, thanks. Like many things, it seems that mastering it means not having to push. Its a bit of a balancing act, trying to play with emotion, but not allowing the emotion to overwhelm the technique, rather using technique to express the emotion.
Devilishly difficult.
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Lucky Lester
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hvyj
826 posts
Nov 12, 2010
4:08 AM
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Look, if you are using proper technique it's actually EASIER to express emotional intensity. You've got to relax. If you play with deep embouchure, open and relaxed airway, large relaxed oral resonance chamber AND PRODUCE ALL AIR FLOW/PRESSURE FROM THE DIAPHRAGM (not from the lips or mouth) it will feel like there is a direct connection between your diaphragm and the reeds of the harp linked by a column of air if you are doing it right. You will have more resonance and then very small variations in technique will produce BIG variations in tone/sound. (And your harps will last a lot longer.)
Actually, if you open up, relax and play with resonance it's EASIER to play with intensity or to rock really hard when you want to or if the music requires it. Devilish difficult to learn, but not at all hard to do once you learn to do it. Sort of like riding a bicycle.
Last Edited by on Nov 12, 2010 12:00 PM
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chromaticblues
276 posts
Nov 12, 2010
7:19 AM
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@didjcripey hvyj is right, but the reason why alot of people go thru the same thing your going thru is because your harps are probably difficult to play! Do you know how to gap your harps? If not, there are vids on youtube that are pretty easy to follow. Don't practice with cheap harps! That is the worst thing you could possibly do!!!!! You'll learn to play to forcfully because the harps suck. You need good expensive harps and then treat them like they are gold! slowly start playing them alittle harder, but start off playing real easy. Make an effort to play easy. Your harps will last much longer!! After awhole you'll learn how much you can push them, but if you buy alot of harps you have crossed that line.
Last Edited by on Nov 12, 2010 12:10 PM
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Hollistonharper
198 posts
Nov 12, 2010
11:08 AM
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" If you play with deep embouchure, open and relaxed airway, large relaxed oral resonance chamber AND PRODUCE AIR AIR FLOW/PRESSURE FROM THE DIAPHRAGM (not from the lips or mouth) it will feel like there is a direct connection between your diaphragm and the reeds of the harp linked by a column of air if you are doing it right."
Yes! That belongs on everyone's daily calendar of harp wisdom. Unfortunately, so much easier said than done. I've experienced that very sensation on a few occasions--transcendental harp moments--and I'm always chasing it. My gut tells me it will be years before I get there, but at least I do know what it feels like and what I'm chasing. Thanks for posting that, Hvyj.
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