Re: Clicking G harp.

[hippo@xxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Messenger)]

At 15:19 9/6/94 -0700, clarke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>Yes, there are times when you don't blow as hard as you can, but I
>would say that I range in moving as much air as my lungs wil allow me to and
>playing really light.

But surely your lungs will allow you to move *far* more air than will fit
through a harp?  Once you reach a certain pressure, the reed simply cannot
vibrate any harder.  Going beyond that point just reduces instrument life
expectancy.

>You aren't going to get the full, fat Big Walter sound by
>holding back.  Then there's Cotton.  The man can lift a bowling ball with
>his lips and didn't get that way by blowing light :-)!

I manage fairly credible Little/Big Walter clone sounds without using a
whole lot of wind.  I've found that the trick is to use *everything* as a
sound chamber - hands, sinuses, nose, mouth, throat, lungs, diaphragm,
butth^H^H^H^H^H etc and to get the right amp / effects / mike setup.

>
>The truth is that blowing too hard on a poorly adjusted reed can cause the
>reed to stick.  Then it doesn't matter how hard you blow after that, 'cause
>unitl you release, it's goint to stay stuck.  The key is breath control
>at all times.

I'll drink to that.  However, since I cut way back on the amount of wind I
use, harps last me a whole hell of a lot longer, stick less and stay in
tune better.

>
>Bernie Clarke
>"You been talkin 'bout your woman, I sure wish you could see mine."  - SBWII

   -- hugh