|
beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players >
Adjusting the harp or adjusting yourself?
Adjusting the harp or adjusting yourself?
Page:
1
MindTheGap
1152 posts
Feb 12, 2016
1:45 AM
|
Hidden in the East Top thread on the main site is 1847's little nugget - that you can adjust your playing to suit different harps, or adjust the harps so they suit your style.
I think this is an interesting idea. When I first found out that people routinely tweaked their gaps, I was all over that like a damp flannel. Hence 'MTG'.
But more recently, having tried a few more models, I'm more into tweaking if they need it, but otherwise adjusting my style - particularly strength of attack. I like the idea of not having to have the instrument 'perfect' to play it.
I enjoy cycling through the few different models I have, just making them work. I even occasionally play the rejected cheapo harp I first got. It is truly horrible, but I have to work harder to make it play and there is some merit in that. When I go back to a quality harp, I really appreciate it!
Imagine if it got so you could only play customs? That would be a bad state of affairs :)
Is there something in this, or is it nonsense? When I learnt piano, I was travelling a lot and I used to practice on whatever old thing was available. That meant I played a lot of bad pianos, but it meant I wasn't phased by it.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 12, 2016 1:52 AM
|
Glass Harp Full
99 posts
Feb 12, 2016
4:28 AM
|
I think there's definately something to it. I play mainly Suzukis which have bigger hole spacing than most Hohners. When I go back to Hohners I sometimes find I have trouble getting single notes but after a few minutes I'm fine. I suppose it's like adjusting to drive a different car than you normally do.
I've also noticed I have a greater appreciation of what harp will sound best for what I'm trying to play and often cycle through them depending on what I'm working on.
I also agree there's something to be said for persisting with difficult harps. I have a very leaky Marine Band that requires a lot of breath to get a sound but sometimes I like to play it just for the fun of playing hard and loud, which would ruin my other harps. It actually works quite well for train rhythms.
I remember Adam saying in one of his videos that sometimes it's necessary to work a harp in so I'm hoping it will come good.
|
MindTheGap
1154 posts
Feb 12, 2016
4:36 AM
|
Ian's posted about his Seydel coming good after a time, so maybe there's something in that. I've not experienced that myself.
But the different hole size - yes now you say it, of course there is a tangible difference between harps. Especially between the plastic vs sandwich combs. I don't want to get stuck only able play one or the other.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 12, 2016 4:37 AM
|
SuperBee
3390 posts
Feb 12, 2016
3:10 PM
|
You can do both things..
I spent 26 years driving auto transmission then bought a 5 speed manual Hilux. No problem, I remembered how to use a clutch.
There is some adjustment period but it's no big deal. I play Spiers stage 2 harps, some other custom builds, my own work and some barely touched harps. I use the Spiers harps as often as possible, which means they are my everyday players. I generally gig with lesser harps. I don't notice it's a problem.
The other day I played an E golden melody for the first time. Someone had done work on it and I found the 4,5,6 OB were very easy, so I played around with that for a while...I can't normally use them in a melodic context. Not long after, I was playing an A harp and went for a tongue blocked 5OB. It happened. Repeatedly. I put it down to having an easy harp which allowed me to practice the technique which I then applied to a less easy unit but with little more push. This is actually how I achieved my first 6 OB also, and now can get it on many harps.
So I don't think playing an easy-playing harp de-trains you, in fact I think it probably helps you deal with more difficult harps by allowing you to train good technique.
Just a thought...
|
Killa_Hertz
522 posts
Feb 12, 2016
3:45 PM
|
I think that if works both ways. I think easy harps can let you figure something out n get the feel for it. And playing tougher harps is like weight training. So when you go back to the easy harp your much faster.
To go back to mtgs point. I have heard people say adjust to the harp. Which as a whole i think is kinda bogus. When i have heard this it is usually meant as just playing ootb harps with no adjustments. That's ridiculous. Why wouldn't you make it better. But even once you fully adjust your harp, each model still plays different. So on this level ofcourse you don't really have a choice. But if your 2 hole is leaky your just supposed to get used to it? Yea right.
Idk. My 2 cents.
----------
"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
|
Ian
296 posts
Feb 12, 2016
4:51 PM
|
Yeah the seydels a weird one.
I gap all of my harps, not much else, but it's enough for me.
The seydel took a lot of work getting it to play how I wanted, and when I finished it still wasn't right.
Then after about 3 weeks of not playing it, I picked it up and it was so solid it blew me away. I've heard of reeds settling in, but this was crazy.
I'd say on the whole you can and should adjust harps to work as close as possible to your play style, like kh said, why wouldn't you? Sure some need a bit of adjustment at your end but for the most part it seems like you can make them work in the right way for you with some simple adjustments.
I don't think you can make it perfect, or exactly how you want everytime, but somewhere in the ballpark will do.
|
Killa_Hertz
527 posts
Feb 12, 2016
5:36 PM
|
I mean like i said, some harps are thicker/thinner, some have bigger/smaller holes, etc. So obviously you have no choice but to adjust to this. However if unadjusted ootb each read reacts differently from hole to hole. And if nothing else i feel this needs to be fixed. If a harp played even all the way thru ootb, even if it were gapped a lil big/tight for my taste, i could consider trying to get used to it. This however is never the case. Atleast not with any harp ive ever purchased. Just to clear up what i meant.
----------
"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Feb 12, 2016 5:40 PM
|
MindTheGap
1155 posts
Feb 12, 2016
11:44 PM
|
Ah OK, so in summary you are saying:
- Learn on a nice-playing harp, the techniques you lean will techniques to a less-well playing one.
- There's no sense not adjusting an OOTB harp if some of the reeds are 'off'.
- Playing tougher harps is like weight training.
Useful ideas in there I think. Re the question, 'why wouldn't you adjust...' I heard an interview with John Nemeth who said that one of the reasons he doesn't play customs is that he is on the road a lot, and if he couldn't use stock harps available wherever to deal with losses and breakages, that would be a practical problem. He may well tweak them, he didn't actually say. I don't have a busy international gigging schedule myself, so we aren't in the same boat! :)
I guess a more refined stance then, picking up Ian's point, is that I'd be gapping them so they are basically sound, but not returning them over and over in search of optimising to the nth degree. Then you make up the difference with your playing. How about that?
I come back to my point that, personally, I like the idea of being able to pick a harp and get something out of it whatever. It's more a question of degree than absolutes.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Feb 12, 2016 11:49 PM
|
Killa_Hertz
531 posts
Feb 13, 2016
9:06 AM
|
Yes mtg i agree. Custom is kind of a broad term. When i say custom i usually mean work I've done. Not a pro custom.
Im sure you know what i mean about some reeds being off. If your harp is like that you have to play each hole with a different mouth position, breath force, etc. And that's just crazy i think. So yes being able to just buy an off the shelf ootb harp, gap and shape it real quick, and maybe smooth the corners with a file is prolly a good way to go. I think ultimately this is all the work that is NEEDED.
I also suspect that the better you get the less it all matters. I go over n over my harps sometimes, but i think sometimes the things im trying to fix are not deficiencies or issues in the harp, but in my playing. Idk. 2 more cents for ya.
----------
"Trust Those Who Seek The Truth. Doubt Those Who Say They Have Found It."
|
Post a Message
|
