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beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players >
More air needed!
More air needed!
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Truth2012
1 post
Sep 14, 2015
1:40 PM
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Hi
I picked up the harmonica 7 months ago and I'm loving it! After buying a special 20 in c I purchased a A. In the A I need more air to pull on the 2 draw, is this normal?
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Ian
88 posts
Sep 14, 2015
4:07 PM
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Maybe adjust the gapping a little? The lower harps have longer reeds so will need a bit more air anyway but if they are gapped 'high' they will feel a little more airy.
My G sp20 was very airy when I got it, now it plays pretty tight.
Its not hard to do. I just undo the cover plates and use a piece of paper and/or a match stick to unjust the reed position.
Check the link....
http://www.wildflowerharmonica.com/adjusting-reed-gaps/
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Truth2012
2 posts
Sep 14, 2015
10:58 PM
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Thanks Ian
Last Edited by Truth2012 on Sep 14, 2015 10:59 PM
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SuperBee
2800 posts
Sep 15, 2015
12:35 AM
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i agree with Ian that a lower key harp is usually a little slower to respond (although in a sp20 A and C the reeds are the same length...the difference is weight/thickness)so its hard to know if its normal, but it does sound probably it could benefit from some simple adjustment. its quite a common issue
take a look at the gaps on your C harp in comparison to the one that is concerning you
if you do adjust the gap, consider the reeds as a pair. sometimes the 2 draw, say, may seem to need a lot of air but the issue is with the blow reed. both slots allow air in and out of the chamber so if one is tight and the other wide the harp will still seem somewhat leaky.
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MindTheGap
666 posts
Sep 17, 2015
4:19 AM
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I want to add the good advice above, with my experience when I first started. Like many, I started with a C harp then, when I thought about taking it more seriously I bought a A, then a Bb so I could be in step with Adam's YT lessons.
I was really surprised by the big difference in feel between harps of difference keys. It's not far from A to C on a piano but the harps feel quite different don't they? Even A to Bb feels quite different. That's part of the fun of it. I don't think about it now, but I do remember being surprised at the time.
Point is, yes the lower harps do feel looser and I guess that means more air, so this *may* be situation normal.
I also remember floundering around trying to work out the key of a song I was listening to (with harmonica on) and resorting to a guitar or keyboard. Then, later, I could often successfully identify the harp key just by the sound of it, especially the bent notes.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 17, 2015 4:27 AM
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isaacullah
3082 posts
Sep 25, 2015
11:03 AM
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This is a good reason to get a whole range of keys at the very beginning. This can be done for a reasonable price: often, 5 key sets of Special 20's or Marine Bands come on sale for around $120. Not a bad outlay at all, and you'll have G, A, C, D, and E. The E is the least "useful," key-wise, but still cool to have. Practicing the same licks from a G harp up through an E will have a great effect on your overall technique. You'll improve faster than if you only have and play one key. This is because changing keys forces you to notice the flaws in your technique. A too-tight embouchure might sound ok on a C harp, but will choke the notes on a G. Too high of a breath pressure might still play ok on a G, but will certainly not on a D. Also, changing keys forces you to get in touch with your mouth shape and the resonance of your oral cavity. You have to learn very explicitly how to shape your mouth to get consistent tone across all the pitch ranges. 4 draw on the G will need a different mouth shape and air-column volume than will 4 draw on the E (or any other key). Having a wide range of keys at your disposal while learning will facilitate this. Plus, it's just fun to have different keys because they all sound a little different, and you can change things up. And finally, having multiple keys while learning distributes your playing across them, making them less likely to blow out quickly, which is a thing a lot of new learns will do to their one and only harmonica. Often times, a player with only one harmonica will give up after she blows out a reed in it. If you've got more than one, you are much more likely to keep at it, and, as we all know, the number one thing you need to do to get good at the harmonica (or any instrument) is to KEEP PLAYING IT! :)
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