ReedSqueal
6 posts
Nov 24, 2010
12:12 PM
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I know what you are thinking: "danged newbie thinks his new harp 2 hole draw on his new harp is broken, but it's all in the technique"
You are correct. BUT, I have been playing enough that I am confident in my 2 hole draw, and 2 hole draw-bends. At least as far as my C harp is concerned.
I just picked up a new OOTB Bb SP20. I really like the sound, and enjoying the hell out of it. I can do just about everything I can do on my OOTB SP20 C.
The issue I am having is the 2 hole draw (on the Bb)seems slow to respond, and takes a bit more air to get it going, and once it does it is 'muffled' and the tone lacks, and if I draw a little harder it immediately goes into a bend.
Over the last few days I've experimented with different embouchures, harp angle and tried TB and pucker but I can't seem to control the 2 draw.
So the question is, of course realizing that every key takes a slightly different playing technique, is it me or the reed needing adjustment? Maybe it's both.
I am a strong intermediate on the Gussow scale.
Any input would be appreciated.
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Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy.
-Dan Castellaneta
Last Edited by on Nov 24, 2010 12:14 PM
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Gig74
24 posts
Nov 24, 2010
12:35 PM
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Hey ReedSqueal,
I feel your pain with that 2 draw. I'm an advanced beginner on the scale but I am getting happier every day with my bends.
I thought I'd really treat myself and bought a Seydel 1847 silver in A, when it arrived I was pretty disapointed it didn't play well at all and my bends were awfull. I thought perhaps the stainless steel reeds were harder to bend without much better technique so I popped it away in my wee music stuff bag.
I played arround with it again after a month and like magic it sounds much better. It wasn't me or the reeds it just needed the power of my wee music bag.
I know that's not helpfull input but you did say any input would be appreciated :o)
Seriously for me it was my technique but you sound like you know what your doing so it could be you just got a bad harp I have a SP20 in C and it works great for me, but lots of folk on the forum say that the sp20 can be a bit hit or miss.
Good luck.
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bluemoose
412 posts
Nov 24, 2010
12:41 PM
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First thing I do with all my SP20's is take them apart and eyeball the gaps. For regular playing I want them with the bottom a bit wider (thickness of a reed) and getting tighter up to the top.
Plink every reed to make sure it rings and isn't hanging up on burrs or dirt.
moose.
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MBH Webbrain
FerretCat Webbrain
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chromaticblues
322 posts
Nov 24, 2010
4:21 PM
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Its the reed. The gap is to wide. Try to set all the reeds so that there is a gap about the same thickness of the reed.
Last Edited by on Nov 26, 2010 8:28 PM
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hvyj
845 posts
Nov 25, 2010
7:52 AM
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Even if both are properly gapped, it is more difficult to bend 2 draw on a Bb than it is on a C.
To get that bend one needs to open the throat (as if you were in the middle of a yawn) and use a slightly softer initial attack.
It "seems slow to respond" because it is. Bb starts the lower range of keys where the reeds are relatively larger and therefore must be coaxed into moving before a bend can be applied accurately. A slightly softer initial attack is required to apply the proper level of air pressure to get the reed moving in a responsive manner.
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Kyzer Sosa
887 posts
Nov 25, 2010
7:27 PM
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ive never had a note bend regardless of how hard i draw on the hole. it doesnt bend unless you change your mouth to make it do so. at least thats been the case for me. im not sure how to help you bro.
BTW my spam prevention code is VajLuv
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Kyzer's Travels
Kyzer's Artwork
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ReedSqueal
9 posts
Nov 26, 2010
12:42 AM
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@Kyzer Sosa: VERY good point.
I guess I need to rephrase that... When I do a "normal" 2 hole draw, it's leaky, muffled and slow to respond. I have to draw harder to get it to sound, but it's muddy. Then once I begin to bend, it slams into a full bend (because of the excess draw force I have to use to get it to play.) That's maybe oversimplified but the best description I can come up with at the moment.
Again, I have no problem with the idea that it might be my technique, I just want to be sure that it is NOT mechanical before I start trying to re-learn the 2 hole draw on a Bb.
Although I am not having this type of problem on the other keys I have. A, C, D, G.
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Go ahead and play the blues if it'll make you happy.
-Dan Castellaneta
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harpwrench
370 posts
Nov 26, 2010
8:19 AM
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Sounds like the 2 blow is gapped too wide
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MP
1043 posts
Nov 26, 2010
1:30 PM
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VajLuv is another "VERY good point"!
thanks Kyzer!
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MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
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