Oliver
1 post
Sep 10, 2008
3:31 PM
|
Hi guys,
The last 2 harps I have bourght both seemed to have problems with draw holes 7 and 8. They are difficult to draw air through and often feel kind of constricted and sound squeeky.
Now I am certainly a beginer, so I am wondering if these holes are just difficult to play like the draw 2 (which I have down reasonably well by now!).
I have tried taking the plates off and widening the gaps of these 2 holes a little, but still they are causing trouble and wont play nice at all.
Is this me, the harp, or finally, is this just the way these holes are and we have to just get used to them?
Many thanks for any comments or advice!
Thanks and kind regards,
Oliver.
|
Oisin
11 posts
Sep 10, 2008
6:17 PM
|
Oliver,
as you've seen with the two draw, some holes have to be played differently to get the best from them. Try lots of different things, moving the harp slightly at an angle to your mouth, drawing gently and then with increasing and decreasing the volocity of your breath until you get it. Then practise it 5000 times!You'll get there in the end.
If you have a decent harp then I doubt it's the problem.
Hope this is helpful
Oisin
|
Patrick Barker
135 posts
Sep 10, 2008
7:38 PM
|
Try opening your mouth as much as possible and try to keep your tongue down as low as you can.
----------
"Without music, life would be a mistake" -Nietzsche
|
salmon
Guest
Sep 11, 2008
2:57 AM
|
What make of harp is it? And what key is it in?
You shouldn't need to perform oral acrobatics to make these holes sound.
The guys on here are very helpful but to expect newcomers to adopt a different strategy of blowing for almost every other hole is pushing things a bit.
OK, You do this for hole 2 and 3 blow, this for 2 and 3 draw and then try and do this for 7 and 8 draw - it shouldn't be like that.
What happens when you've perfected all these different blowing patterns (to make up for the poor quality control of the harp manufacturer) and then you change to a different harp which may have a whole new set of playing charateristics.
I may be extremely lucky but I haven't had these problems and I don't see that you should either. If you can get a note out of all the other holes then my money is on the harp not being quite right. We pay good money for harps and should expect a good playable instrument for our money.
Sorry Guys rant over. But it does annoy me when new players are beset with problems which they think is probably them but in a lot of cases is due to poor manufacturing standards. We can't all re-gap and re-tune our harps, it takes skill.
|
Oliver
2 posts
Sep 11, 2008
3:20 AM
|
Many thanks for the great responces guys! I will take everything on board and try to see what works for me.
The harp in question is a Marine Band Bb.
I've always hated the idea of blaming the tool/ instrument/ whatever before insuring that my technique is correct, but I certainly see where you are coming from Salmon. Harmonicas arent cheap over here in the UK and it would be nice if you KNEW they were perfect, right out of the box - that way it would remove any doubt in your mind about where the issue lies, if you see what I mean.
I will persivere with this particular harp and see if it 'warms up' into playing a little smoother.
All the Best,
Oliver.
Last Edited by on Sep 11, 2008 3:21 AM
|
salmon
Guest
Sep 11, 2008
4:19 AM
|
Hi Oliver would have thought that a Bb would have been alright. If it had been a high key I would understand because the reeds are that little bit smaller and I would imagine need to be more precisely and accurately set up. Maybe regapping to make the gap larger was the wrong thing to do, they may need a smaller gap. Just a thought.
Regarding what I was saying before. If a manufacturer of harps tests them with a bellows type device to ensure each hole works OK, then surely however you blow or draw into that hole shouldn't matter a great deal. The bellows doesn't know it needs to adjust it's blow/drawing technique for each different hole.
When I saw Paul Jones playing he had a whole range of harps that he played through the set. Surely he couldn't remember that on one particular harp he needed to play certain holes in one manner and on another harp he had to adjust his technique for playing other holes. It would be impossible.
Let's face it as a newcomer (myself included) just remebering what notes to play is hard enough without trying to remember what technique to use for certain holes in certain keys.
Sorry guy's, Rant over again, but it's not fair that we have to purchase a harp in blind faith that it is OK only to find it is not and we have little chance of a refund because we have used it.
|
Baker
9 posts
Sep 11, 2008
5:18 AM
|
Hi Oliver,
I had exactly the same problem. I also had the same problem on higher harps (Anything above a D felt really tight). Patrick's advice is spot on:
"Try opening your mouth as much as possible [dropping your jaw down as far as it will go] and try to keep your tongue down as low as you can."
This really helped me out. Also this is a technique that should be practised on all the holes as it graetlly improves your tone.
It's not a case of having to learn how to play each hole differently, it's more a case of being able to get away with more on lower notes if you see what I mean.
Hope this helps.
|
Tuckster
25 posts
Sep 11, 2008
8:27 AM
|
Even if you are playing a custom harp, you wouldn't use the same embouchure to play 7 draw as you would, say, 2 draw. That's simply physics. After you've been playing awhile, you won't be aware of the changes you have to make to play the various holes. When I stop and think about it, its amazing how many minute changes are involved in playing. Please don't take this as discouraging--its the nature of the beast. With enough practice muscle memory takes over and you do it automatically.
|
Oliver
3 posts
Sep 11, 2008
8:45 AM
|
Some good points to think over here, cheers everyone.
|
New_B
33 posts
Sep 17, 2008
3:24 PM
|
Thank-you, Patrick!!!
I made a breakthrough with your advice - on a F-harp to boot!!!
I too, was having difficulty with holes 7-10 (lip pursing). For some reason, I didn't have problems with these holes when tongue-blocking.
|
