Re: [Harp-L] 4 Blow Reed Failures - Is it just me?

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Perhaps too harsh a reflex comment - no one is bashing as far as I can read  
- nothing wrong with helping players understand the realities involved with  
efficient technique vs inefficient technique, something that I've experienced 
as  a reality rather than just an opinion.
 
I used to have trouble with the 5 hole until I understood this whole  
efficient use of energy - the inhale bends I was SLAMMING, and the 5 hole inhale  
bend does not bend down a full half tone. I was using the same force on it as I  
would on 4 or 2 inhale - result - blowing out and/or flattening of reed in 
this  one hole. Solution - rework my technique. Result - all my harmonicas are 
Golden  Melodies at least 10 years old and some of them much older with no blown 
out  reeds and retuning needed very infrequently. Works for me, may work for 
others  with similar problems.
 
 
In a message dated 12/20/2008 4:33:27 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
46long@xxxxxxxxx writes:

Yeah,  well, I don't see the use of using this question as yet another
opportunity  to bash players for playing too hard. Yes, it's a valid point in
both it  fatigues your harps and hurts your agility and tone. Fine. We could
also  get into the reasons that even more proficient players might "play  too
hard" - not being able to hear yourself and thinking that playing  harder
will help, etc.  But simply dismissing an interesting question  as being the
fault of "bad playing" is just going to shut it down, limit  the discussion,
discourage debate, and intimidate people from posting.  Seriously, it's as if
one of my literature students came to me and said,  "Why am I having a
difficult time understanding Shakespeare, since I do so  well with most other
authors?"  And  I say something back like,  "Because you suck!"  or, more
subtly, "Because you're too damn  immature to get it."

So, perhaps there's a more sophisticated answer  out there. Even if the
player is playing too hard, why is it that the 4  blow reed is, even for me
(for what that's worth), the reed that dies  exponentially more than any
other. In fact, I don't think I've had any  other reed go bad for me in the
last 6-7 years. Doesn't matter if it's a  stock Special 20 or a Sleigh
custom. It's always the 4  blow.

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