Re: [Harp-L] Harmonicas available today

Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> · Fri, 27 Mar 2009 10:03:27 -0700 (PDT)

My advice would be to settle on what you already have for now.

You've got some good harps. Now it's time to simply play them.

Beginners sometimes perceive big differences among harps. Does that mean that they should roam around and find the one that feels best to play?

Well, you could do that, but I think it won't help you much. If you already have decent harps, then all this trying out is just a distraction from playing time, and playing time si what you need the most.

Here's what I recommend:

Make friends with the harps you have. Learn to breath and develop resonance. Learn how your breathing can get the most sound out of the harp, with as much ease as possible. 

it doesn't even matter if you play single notes at first. Breathing big chords is just as important, to develop breathing, tone, and rhythm. (I hand others have posted about this plenty on harp-l, and it's all in Harmonica For Dummies, as well.)

As you develop your breathing and resonance, the differences among harmonicas will fade, and the things they have in common will start to take over. You will be able to play pretty much any harp - even the bad, leaky, unresponsive ones (though that won't be much fun).

I'm not saying you won't develop favorite models or favorite individual harp - I'm sure you will.

But right now, the most important thing is to play. You already own some good harps.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Thu, 3/26/09, Abner Galdos <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Abner Galdos <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonicas available today
To: "Tony Eyers" <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Thursday, March 26, 2009, 9:07 AM

Tony thank your for your open and honest view.
If you have the chance and still have that article I would enjoy reading it.

As some one new to the music sound, I have found it very hard to decide 
on what brand/ model I should spend my hard cash on.
Since I am learning I don't want cheap. And I was advised to stay away from
custom for now. ( getting the clean notes, and learning the bending, no over
blows )
But that still leaves that question on what harp to buy. Trust me I want a
custom harp.
In music stores, you can touch and play with many instruments.  Most of the
sales guys can give you some pointers.
But when it comes to a harmonicas your S.O.L.  Because of health reasons they
will let you use an blow box and the very limited supply they have.... and the
sales person has no idea about the harps....
One guy wanted to sell me a set of Piedmont Blues (in all 12 keys) for about
$114.00..and ot came with a case. I don't know anything about That brand
except from what I've been reading lately on this post.

I also cant understand the difference of strong opinion on different brands and
model in these brands.
One brand (model) out of the box cant be a piece of Crap to one group and great
to another.

I almost wish there was a Consumer Reports on Harps.  
So how about it all members on Harp L, how about giving it a chance and be
clean honest factual accounts on Brands and models even customizing......

I'm sure the guys that do the customizing can tell what Brands and Models
are good... You can even change your name so the innocent wont be harmed.....

The other day I open up my many harps to clean and I wrote down each Brand /
model, and wrote how many screw they had.  Now I'm thinking the more screws
a reed plate had the better.  That's as far as I can go. 
I'm sure just like anything else the material and how its put together show
the quality of the harp...

The tuning is another thing that is out of my league. I watch some You Tube
that was mention on this site.  And opening Cleaning, I got. embrossing,
plucking,filing, I understand, tuning I'm lost once again S.O.L for a
beginner when we buy harps if their out of tune.  But I'm sure this is
something that can be learned thru VIDS.

So, finally I'm asking Harp L the members to help us un fortunate beginners
out there who are reading this site but are afraid to ask questions and get
confused.

1) what Brands and Model do you like and why ?
2) What to look for in a Brand and Model ?
3) what keys should I get, in what order ?
4) When ordering from an on line site, what kind of warranty should we look
for?
5) Combs: wood,plastic,marble,gold,silver,paper,leather,bone,skin, how do they
change the sound or do they ?
6) Reeds: Brass,steel,aluminum,plastic, paper, how does the material change the
sound ?
7) Screws on reeds: the more the better and if so why?
8) Reed cover: Nails that look like screws  making one  a fool trying to
unscrew them, screws I have seen 2 or     
9) Cover Plate: Material will this make a difference ?

You can help out by answering or not , and adding to the list or not... I do
plead with you that if you are incline to make fun or put down this list leave
it alone and add to the bottom.    

 I'm sure I will get good answers and I know I will get rude answers bring
it on I'm use to some of you.

abner (Blueyes, still asking, still confused)

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Tony Eyers 
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Friday, March 27, 2009 2:03 AM
  Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonicas available today

  Just looked over recent exchanges about the various brands. Over the 
  last few years my credit card and I have frequented online stores, and I 
  have tried most of the instruments under discussion.

  My view? We've never had it so good. Being one of the older dogs, I 
  remember when Special 20s and Lee Oskars came out.  Now competition 
  amongst established and emerging companies has provided more good 
  choices than ever before.

  I put up an article a few weeks back where I grouped harmonicas into 5 
  categories: toy, budget, intermediate, premium and custom. The recent 
  debate has been (mostly)  about intermediate instruments, which I find 
  to all be very decent. I have my favorite brands and models, but players 
  better than me prefer different brands, different models. Tastes vary as 
  much as players do.

  However one thing is sure. Hyperbole (good or bad) about any major brand 
  intermediate instrument can be safely ignored.

  Tony Eyers
  Australia
  www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
  ...everyone plays

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