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From: "Paul Messinger"
Date: Fri, 30 Jul 1999 16:53:08 -0400
Subject: Re: Harp break-in period?

Jake Hester writes:

>I just got back from buying a Hohner Special 20 at my local instrument
>store... the lady there advised me to play at lower volumes (not just
>avoiding overblowing/drawing, but not even playing loud) for the first few
>hours of use to "break in" the reeds. I've never seen anything about this
>before, but then again, I'm new to HARP-L. Any idea if this concern is
>valid?


First of all, WELCOME to harmonic hyperspace . . .

There's (of course) widely diverse opinions on this subject. Some
guys just play 'em out of the box, others have a whole break-in
routine.

I, personally, think that some break-in time is worthwhile. I play
softly, without bends, on each note. I try to play without vibrato
so the reeds can vibrate evenly. Then, I'll start working the bends
then the overblows etc.

In my mind, I'm imaging that the reeds will then vibrate naturally
to the "pitch" that I want them to-either played straight or with
bends etc. My thought process is that even when I "tune" a
reed, it will play at different pitches with different air pressure
or mouth position . . . So, I try to "image" an air pressure and
mouth position where a reed will play to the pitch that I want
to start. Then, I can adjust from there . . .

Now, of course there are plenty of times when I'll skip all
or part of that routine . . . but I'll often go through some
version of it just warming up to practice or gig for the
same reasons.

Anyway, that's one approach. As this is Harp-L, you
can be sure that there will be many more.

Hope this is helpful . . .

Comments???

Paul Messinger/Chapel Hill NC