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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
breaking in harmonicas
breaking in harmonicas
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mankycodpiece
12 posts
Dec 12, 2009
4:58 AM
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i'm finding my SP20S getting easier to play.
i don't know if thats down to me getting better or if it's because,as i read someplace,that the harps "have broken in".maybe it's a little of both.
if harp do "break in",i'm interested to know what actualy happens to the reeds.
excuse me if this subject has been done to death before.i have looked in the archives and not found what i'm looking for.
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tookatooka
851 posts
Dec 12, 2009
6:51 AM
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Yeah! this is something that has always puzzled me. If a reed needs to be worked before it reaches it's optimum performance level then surely that must mean that the metal itself is getting used to vibrating. If so, does that mean the metal is weakening? If that is the case then surely it is degrading which to my mind is not a particularly good sign. Maybe BBQBob has some insight on this?
Do you think maybe it's because you are getting more used to playing your SP20's and your muscle memory now reacts to the SP20's idiosyncracies (Sp?) when you pick it up?
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GermanHarpist
797 posts
Dec 12, 2009
7:44 AM
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I read somewhere that it was about the reeds slightly bending to some 'natural' curvature of the vibrating reed. This is in a slight curve off the plate. Arching the reed is supposed to immitate the shape of the broken-in reed.
Not quite sure if that is true, but I definitely also have the feeling that a harp plays better after a couple of days of good wood shedding....
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germanharpist on YT. =;-)
Last Edited by on Dec 12, 2009 7:45 AM
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dfwdlg
80 posts
Dec 12, 2009
8:20 AM
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I wonder if some of it is the subtle adjustments you make in how you play an individual harp as you get more familiar with that harp.
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GermanHarpist
798 posts
Dec 12, 2009
8:25 AM
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For me definitely.
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germanharpist on YT. =;-)
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MrVerylongusername
686 posts
Dec 12, 2009
9:16 AM
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I've always felt that breaking in was a myth - particularly with plastic combed harp. With wood, there might be changes as the wood hydrates and expands. I've not noticed any significant difference between a brand new harp and a played one.
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barbequebob
196 posts
Dec 12, 2009
9:33 AM
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There have been arguements both ways to death on this subject on the Harp-L forum. If you tend to play too hard, it may be a necessity to play it real soft as long as possible and gradually step it up, but the truth of the matter is, if you don't play with excessive breath force, breaking it in is almost unnecessary.
When you use a harp that's different than you normally use, be it what key, brand, model, etc., the real breaking in is really not for the instrument, it's for the player to get better acquainted with the instrument more than anything else, and it's another area where the average player's thinking of using the "one size fits all" approach is totally wrong.
Mankycodpiece has unknowingly proved a point I keep driving home about breath force and he can now see for himself that by cutting down drastically on the amount of breath force being used, everything on the instrument becomes 100 times easier to do and the heavy breath force is like being forced to run a 100 yard dash by your track coach and it must be done in 5 seconds flat while carrying a 700 lb. Sumo wrestler in a very pissed off mood and he's punching you in the head and kicking you in the gut at the same time, and before you get half way thru the dash, you're physically wiped out and that 700 lb. Sumo wrestler is what using too much breath force in your playing is doing to you, making everything you're trying to do needlessly more difficulut for yourself.
On the other hand, certain reed metals may need some. Stainless steel may because that's a much harder metal than brass is, and maybe a few dys to no more than 2 weeks at the most with the first few days, absolutely NO note bending or overblows.
With the pre-WWII harps, which used the now legendary bell metal brass which hasn't been made since that time, when I talked to many of the older masters, almost to a man, they said that they'd be very stiff at first, but within a week or two, they played like butter. When I got an almost new pre-WWII MB, this was pretty close to the truth.
It still boils down to the one sngle fact is that if you don't play with a hard breath force, it's almost unnecessary to do it.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Dec 12, 2009 10:45 AM
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mankycodpiece
13 posts
Dec 12, 2009
11:35 AM
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there is definately something to playing with much less force than i did when i first came to this terrific little bit of magic,the diatonic harmonica.
having said that,i still think there may be something in this "breaking in" theory.i could well be wrong but it just feels like it.
i do have a few minutes of warm up using the minimum of breath to be able to make it play,so BBQBob is probably right.
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barbequebob
200 posts
Dec 12, 2009
2:18 PM
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Your playing when using much less breath force will not only improve by leaps and bounds, you also get the added financial benefit of your harps lasting CONSIDERABLY longer because you`ve reduced the amount of stress you`ve been putting on the reeds and too much force is bad playing technique. Everything I`m telling you comes from 30+ years of mainly pro playing experience and when I started out, I was guilty of doing just what you and many others have been doing until I got set straight in a 5 minute demonstration by an all time blues harp legend using my harp to show that it wasn`t with the gear as far too many lesser skilled players tend to believe and that harp legend was BIG WALTER HORTON!
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Dec 12, 2009 2:28 PM
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tookatooka
857 posts
Dec 12, 2009
3:19 PM
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Hope you're gonna take part in our HPC3 BBQBob and show us how it should be done?
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snakes
409 posts
Dec 13, 2009
11:28 AM
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I need some help with this concept of using less air. When I play my Suzuki's or Seydel's this works fine for me. Tone and bends all seem to comply. Then when I try this technique with other harps (Marine Bands and most of my Lee Oskar's for example) it just doesn't work for me. Case in point is the inability to draw bend unless I'm pulling for most of what I'm worth and a tone that is embarassingly "airy." Granted one of my MB's just will not bend at all since new, but I have another 4 or 5 keys and they are near unto impossible for me to bend without significant effort (same same with most of the LO's of which I have a good dozen). Should I just practice this low volume breath technique with the harps that seem to cooperate or is there something I can adjust with my technique?
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tookatooka
859 posts
Dec 13, 2009
12:41 PM
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Sounds like some of your harps need adjusting snakes. The draw bend is not dependant on the amount of air drawn through but your mouth/throat shape (Embouchure).
I can draw bend on all my harps using the minimum of breath. Something not right there.
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MrVerylongusername
688 posts
Dec 13, 2009
12:48 PM
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It's up to you Snakes. If Suzukis work for you then stick with them, but consider this. Lee Oskar is a highly respected player and would not put his name on something that was unplayable; the marine Band is the biggest selling harp of all time. It isn't the harps.
You ought to be able to make a harp sound just by having it in your mouth and breathing in and out. The bend comes from the shape of your mouth and throat, you really don't have to force it by sucking harder. Keep working at it, it will come.
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GermanHarpist
802 posts
Dec 13, 2009
12:54 PM
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I would mostly work with the harps that actually work. Then, from time to time you can go back to the leaky sticky harps and try your improved technique on them.
It's true, a good player can make any harp sound good, but there simply ARE bad harps.
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germanharpist on YT. =;-)
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kudzurunner
870 posts
Dec 13, 2009
1:37 PM
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I admire players who can get a good sound without playing hard, as BBQ Bob describes, but I'm not one of them. Nat Riddles played hard, James Cotton rips into his harps, and Big Walter hits them hard, too. BBQ's anecdote here seems to cut in two directions: yes, it's definitely the player, not the equipment--Cotton doesn't seem to care at all about the equipment--but Big Walter's sound sounds to ME like a guy who is hitting it hard, not easy. "Easy" is a good example of this.
Little Walter, on the other hand, stikes me as a finesse player, not a strength player. Junior Wells is very much a finesse player. Sugar Blue, interestingly, is a finesse player when he plays amped up, but I've heard him go acoustic into the vocal mic and play VERY hard, like he's making love to a woman via the harmonica sucking various parts of her body.
Each kind of playing has its advantages, but my experience and listening tell me that 90% of the time, and all other things being equal, players would sound better if they used MORE strength and force in their attack, not less. In fact, I'll say more than that: 98% of YouTube videos featuring harmonica players, including folks on the HarpChannel, suffer at least a little, and in some cases a lot, for a lack of muscle, intensity, forcefulness, and of course swing. It's possible to swing without playing hard, but those other three qualities are increased when players learn what it means to play hard with perfect intonation.
It was for this precise reason that I began my YouTube series as I did, with some hard, raw, over-the-top playing. Because very little of that was in evidence on YouTube.
Now, it's easy to play fast, sloppy, loud, and yet not really exert any force into the holes. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about yanking a good sound out of the hole, especially on certain bends (2 draw, 3 draw). Steve Guyger hits it hard like this. R.J. Mischo, to judge from the only album of his that I've got, plays like this. Cotton certainly does on the section of "Creeper Creeps Again" where he's worrying the 2 draw/2draw bend. You can tell how much air he's pulling through the harp because he has huge explosive outbreaths to let it all back out.
Finesse is important. And some players can do remarkable things with a light attack and finesse: T. J. Klay did things on a Joe Spiers high G harp that completely blew me away.
But I think BBQ Bob and I have an honest disagreement on this point. I think most players would benefit from learning how to rip the shit out of their harps. Put the mic down, turn the amp off. Play "Mary Had a Little Lamb" cross harp on an A harp, and on the second "little lamb," when you're hitting the major second (whole step bend on 3 draw), really hit it hard. How loud can you get that note with perfect intonation? How loud can you play the whole melody with perfect intonation?
If someone wants to know what I mean by playing hard, please take a listen to my two chorus solo on "I Want You." I was playing as hard as I possibly could. (I was high on vodka and supercharged with adrenaline and for the first time in my life held nothing back.) When you play hard in this way, the 14 draw octave on an A harp clatters a little, and the bend 34 draw warble gets a nice sound.
http://www.last.fm/music/Satan+and+Adam/_/I+Want+You
Last Edited by on Dec 13, 2009 1:46 PM
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barbequebob
202 posts
Dec 13, 2009
1:57 PM
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Snakes, it`s really a technique issue and you`ve been used to forcing things since being a newbie and once a bad habit like that gets ingrained, it becomes harder to break. I normally play customs and they need 50% less breath force than any stock harp no matter who makes them. Having said that, I can get any bend easily out of any stock harp using very little breath, but along with that, I`ve learned to make very subtle adjustments, including how I manipulate the inside shape of the mouth, and also another thing most players NEVER consider is making sure every part of my body, including all facial, throat, chest, and embouchure muscles are FULLY RELAXED 24/7 because this works hand in hand with breath force. Why? When you use too much force, you get very tensed up and physically uptight, you severly constricted, and thus you cannot use air EFFICIENTLY or all you`re doing is wasting as much as 80% of the air being used. I recommend that every player go to a reputable vocal coach for some breathing and relaxation exercises. I`ve done that and I can tell you it will do wonders for your playing.
Watch your breath force when you bend because it`s obvious that you play MUCH harder and most likely bending all the way to the floor of the bend and this from trying to force the issue.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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barbequebob
203 posts
Dec 13, 2009
2:07 PM
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Adam, from a personal demonstration from Big Walter himself, the vast majority of his stuff is played soft with an occasional note hit a bit harder, bv a lot of what he did has more to do with how he manipulated the inside shape of his mouth to get his tonal variety, even using it to imitate vowel sounds.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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harpwrench
127 posts
Dec 13, 2009
2:17 PM
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RJ definitely is a light player, I've done some work for him this year. His harps are his tools, and he takes very good care of them (his exact words). That means not abusing them by playing hard, plays with a clean mouth, keeps them in their boxes. He's frugal with his money and doesn't want to waste it by blowing out harps.
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barbequebob
206 posts
Dec 13, 2009
2:28 PM
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I know for a fact Kim Wilson plays with quite a lot less force than most people seem to think.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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bluzlvr
285 posts
Dec 13, 2009
2:31 PM
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A long time ago, I ordered some harp lessons on tape by Paul Butterfield.
I remember one of the points he made in the lessons was not playing too hard.
That struck me as kind of wierd, because it always seemed to me that he was playing extremely hard!
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barbequebob
207 posts
Dec 13, 2009
2:59 PM
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A lot of it has to do with the fact that a lot of players have a tendency to confuse playing loud with playing hard. You can play thru an amp or the PA quite loud, letting the gear do the "heavy lifting" in terms of the volume and still play very softly, with the gear doing the volume and not the player doing the volume. Most of Big Walter`s "Easy" is played soft with a few notes hit a bit harder for emphasis and contrast and he really does a lot of manipulation of the inside shape of his mouth to get his tremendous variety of tonal colors.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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kudzurunner
871 posts
Dec 13, 2009
4:47 PM
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I'm interested about the Kim Wilson comment. I was recently listening to "Treat Me Right" by the T'birds, and I would swear he's hitting it hard right there.
OK: Sonny Boy Two (Rice Miller) hit it VERY hard. Name your cut. He hits it hard in almost every cut he plays. That's because he was from the Delta and had to play solo gigs in juke joints, where volume and groove were key. Basically the harp was the drum.
@BBQ: You're quite right that players confuse playing loud with playing hard, and many players let the PA and amp do the work. That's a very bad idea.
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barbequebob
208 posts
Dec 13, 2009
6:42 PM
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Adam, there was a time that even I thought many of these guys played hard, but after seeing Big Walter`s demonstration, he totally changed my thinking. When I got home and tried it for myself, it totally blew me away and it expanded my abilities big time. I then tried it while playing along with practically every recording, including both Sonny Boys and Walters and a common denominator with all of them was that none of them played anywhere near as hard as I thought. They not only played much softer than I thought, they all played very physically RELAXED, and when both happens together, your air passages widen, allowing air to move much more free with markedly increased efficiency, you now play more resonantly, and I also found that I was able to get more volume using 70% less breath force, yet at the same time, the amount of stress being placed on the harp
was drastically reduced and also the harp blowout was reduced substantially as well. Along with that, I almost never find myself winded. What BW demonstrated to me was how he really played the intro of his cover of "Can`t Hold On Much Longer," and the best description was as if he was whispering thru the instrument. What he demonstrated was that when you use less force and you are very physically relaxed, the sound projects better and it is very similar as to how the human voice works when singing.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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barbequebob
209 posts
Dec 13, 2009
6:44 PM
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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harpwrench
128 posts
Dec 13, 2009
7:11 PM
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Technique can be developed for playing with lighter breath force, but with deceptively greater power. The application of this technique feeds the energy of the soundwaves back into the oscillation of the reeds more efficiently to make them deflect with greater amplitude. Can't really tell ya how to do it, except it takes a lotta work to figure out....like anything else.... but it's real. The way it works as pictured in my mind, is using your oral/throat cavity muscles to apply leverage to the notes. There's a lot of subtleties in the music of the old (and current) masters that IMO can't be accurately duplicated any other way except by this method. Doesn't mean that's the only way to play harp though, do what works for you.
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gene
299 posts
Dec 13, 2009
7:24 PM
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Snakes:
I read about bending in a book by David Barrett that helped me a lot.
He said to start with the draw 4. As you draw, slowly start articulating the word "you." At some point, the note will bend. Remember yor tongue position when it bends.
The lower the hole, the more you'll need to drop your jaw.
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barbequebob
211 posts
Dec 13, 2009
8:20 PM
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Harpwrench, that`s a pretty good description and it`s very similar to how a vocalist is able to project without strain, most especially like the way an opera or a gospel singer is able to do so.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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snakes
410 posts
Dec 14, 2009
1:11 PM
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Thanks for all the advice everyone! I'll give it a try. Just to clarify though, I can get all the draw bends just fine (all 3 bends on the 3 draw, etc) - just not on all my harps. I do consider myself more of a vocalist than a harp player and have had lessons on singing so I know how to keep my air low, raise my soft pallet, and sing through my mask. I'll give the less breath force drill a try, but will definitely leave the MB's and LO's out of the drill for now. As for tweaking harps I'll probably pass. All my attempts so far have been failures (one rather dire...) due to an ineptness with tools and fine manual dexterity. Also, I have a three hour commute and any day with a wrench in my hand is a day I don't practice. Thanks again.
Last Edited by on Dec 14, 2009 1:14 PM
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toddlgreene
236 posts
Dec 14, 2009
1:54 PM
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BBQ Bob said a few posts up "Most of Big Walter`s "Easy" is played soft with a few notes hit a bit harder for emphasis and contrast"-BINGO. It's very difficult to ONLY play soft and play with dynamics. Of course if you ALWAYS only play hard, there's only so much abuse those reeds can take! Although I've never practiced playing at MIL POWER(note the aircraft reference;old habits die hard)when not on stage, there have been many, many gigs I've played(mostly rock, but not all!)where I'm dealing with not hearing myself due to monitor issues, ridiculous guitarists' stage volumes, etc., and I play HARD just to be heard. Dynamics totally out the window. Not an optimal situation. Older and wiser, I listen for such things when I get the benefit of a sound check and try to remedy them then. When you woodshed at home, and you're able to achieve all these techniques, try to remember this when/if you find yourself on stage-play with the same force, and let the gadgetry do the projection. Dynamics are a beautiful thing.
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~Todd L. Greene, Devout Pedestrian
"listen to what you like for inspiration, but find your own voice"
crescentcityharmonicaclub@gmail.com
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barbequebob
214 posts
Dec 14, 2009
2:20 PM
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Todd, good post and good description. It`s very easy to fall into the bad habit of going Caveman Macho and start playing harder when you`ve been put in a situation where you`re on the stage (in open jams, this is typical) with excessively loud electric guitar and bass players (and right behind them are the B-3 guys), but it` something you have to avoid. What BW demonstrated was both real breath AND tone control along with DYNAMICS.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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kudzurunner
873 posts
Dec 14, 2009
2:25 PM
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I can't speak with BBQ Bob's authority about how Big Walter plays. I can only speak with authority about the harp players I know, including my teacher. I can also speak about what I hear, and don't hear, in the playing of many developing players. What I don't hear in far too many players is real fierceness and real strength. I hear people half-committing, holding back, or, alternately, playing loudly and sloppily but with none of the tensile strength that comes from long practice, self-discipline, AND the ability to reach way down emotionally for the hot fire at the core. Dynamics are terrific, but if you haven't explored and therefore don't have what I'm describing, you're missing something--or at least that's how I'll hear your playing, regardless of how fancy you get.
I understand BBQ Bob's claim, and I respect it. I agree, as I've said above, that finesse is important. I also completely agree that if you don't have a big, strong acoustic sound, no amp and mic can really compensate for it.
Dynamics are important. A harp player needs to develop his dynamic range. Dynamic range consists of the decibel range between the loudest you can play and the softest you can play. In order to have good dynamic range, in other words, a player needs to explore very soft playing, and very loud playing.
In order to play very loudly with no strain--and I agree with Bob that it's a good idea to avoid too much strain, although SOME strain is part of the blues condition--it's imperative that a player spend some time learning to blow the shit out of his harp. Then you learn how to back off that high point and play loudly, clearly, with great intonation and no strain.
Here, free for the taking, is my solo from "I Want You." I was playing very very hard. The solo benefits, not suffers, from that.
I Want You (solo)
Last Edited by on Dec 14, 2009 2:32 PM
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kudzurunner
874 posts
Dec 14, 2009
2:26 PM
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Well, that didn't work. Here's the link for cutting and pasting:
http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/56701677-i-want-you-solo-mp3
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MrVerylongusername
693 posts
Dec 14, 2009
2:45 PM
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@Snakes
The point is, if you cannot do it consistently, across harps of different models and different keys, then you haven't truly nailed the technique. Would you consider yourself a competent driver if you could only drive a ford focus? And as for tweaking - don't get me started! Same automotive analogy - You can only drive a car if it has a spoiler and dropped suspension - is that the mark of a competent driver???
If you can do it on your Suzukis, then you are half way there, you just need to transfer the skill. I really think you should do the opposite of what you're suggesting: ditch the Suzukis and work on the Lee Oskars and MBs - at least for some of your woodshedding time. Refining your technique into a transferable skill will make you a better player.
Last Edited by on Dec 14, 2009 2:46 PM
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barbequebob
216 posts
Dec 14, 2009
5:08 PM
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That is basically something I`ve been saying and that is well said. The thing too many players fail to comprehend is the need to make any and all subtle adjustments necessary and quit trying to force things to happen because you`re making needless hard work for yourself. From also playing a bit of guitar, I know a Fender has a different feel than a Gibson, which has a different feel than a Gretsch, etc., etc. So rather than feel defeated with other harps, take some time to shed and ADAPT and don`t allow yourself to be stuck in the "one size fits all" thinking that permeates among the average player.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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bacon-fat
4 posts
Dec 14, 2009
5:09 PM
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I learned to play during the Tony Glover Blues Harp Era, and always felt the idea of breaking a new harp in to be a myth. Maybe wooden comb harps get more airtight over time due to the accumulation of breath moisture and stuff.
@BBQ: mentioned Kim Wilson; I have seen him do "Trust My Baby" acoustically, from a few feet away, and he doesn't appear to me like he's blowing any harder than breathing through the harp.
(I have also seen BBQ Bob a few times and he most definately knows dynamics)
=Wendell
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Cisco
50 posts
Dec 14, 2009
5:26 PM
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I have to agree with barbequebob AND Myverylongusername. I'm primarily a bass player with an arsenal of 8 different basses. Each bass has a very unique feel and personality and I love each one (and gig with all of them depending on my mood) because of their differences but most of all it taught me to be flexible enough to be able to play any bass no matter what the neck depth, width, scale, body shape and tone palette available. Don't get hung up on only being able to play one particular type of harp, customized or stock - you're really limiting your experience and possibilities and ability to adapt. In addition, I really agree on the fact of playing any instrument lightly and letting the amp do most of the work BUT it also allows you to more easily dig in with less effort to get louder and punchier or deeper and percussive or what ever effect you're going for without draining yourself. Train yourself to be able to be very flexible - don't box yourself in. Every instrument is unique and you're cheating yourself if you don't become comfortable with learning to adapt and play each one.
So far I have two complete sets of harps, Lee Oskar and Special 20s and practice with both to stay flexible and understand the uniqueness of each instrument.
Last Edited by on Dec 14, 2009 7:09 PM
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barbequebob
217 posts
Dec 14, 2009
6:57 PM
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Well said!
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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barbequebob
219 posts
Dec 14, 2009
8:31 PM
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For some players who as newbies taught themselves using the lip block/pucker method for single notes, some players have problems with certain harps because they may unknowingly be holding the instrument too far away to make adjustments or proper contact for optimum playing and so a lot of air gets wasted. It`s also important to not be rigid with your embouchure and allow it to be flexiible so you can more easily make any adjustments.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Rick Davis
8 posts
Dec 15, 2009
10:19 AM
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I agree with Adam: most good players play the harp pretty hard. All this constant tut-tutting from BBQ Bob about breath force is harmful to new players trying to learn the instrument. If you want to sound like Big Walter, you need to play like him. He is quoted in Tom Ball's excellent book of Big and Little Walter Licks, saying "I like to play loud." Indeed he did.
Having said that, nobody is suggesting anyone should suck the reeds out of harps. But it takes some force to get good control of the reeds and the good tone that follows. If you spend your time worrying about getting scolded for playing too loud you will never prosper in your skill.
I know several pro harp guys; guys who make their living at this. All of them -- every one -- blow out reeds regularly from loud playing and hard bending. The diatonic harmonica was never designed to be played this way. Gary Smith notes that to get the good tone, we have to slowly destroy the harp. I don't play harp because I worship the instrument; I play it because I love the music. If I blow out a harp from time to time I'm not ashamed of it and I don't regret it or have grief for the harp. I buy another one and carry on. The music is the thing, not the instrument.
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-Rick Davis
Blues Harp Amps Blog
Roadhouse Joe Blues Band
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