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Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2001 10:54:57 -0500
From: John Thaden
Subject: Re: chromatic scale on blue harp

Mullin Yu wrote

> I'm learning bending, and so trying to play songs at 2nd position on
my
>C-Key harp. After I wrote down the structure of 1st and 2nd position, I
>suddenly found out that some notes are missing on 1st and 2nd position.
>
>For 1st position:
>low octave: miss #2

That would be hole 1 overblow. Open you r harp and set the hole 1 draw
reed close to the reed plate (low gap), at first, so close that the normal
draw reed tends not to play. Blow in hole 1 with mouth cavity large, jaw
dropped way down, while making a sound deep in your throat like you are
gagging or starting to clear your throat. With practice, this can give you
the missing note, at first somewhat flat. With more practice, you can get
it with the reed gapped more normally, and without the throat rattle.

>midde octave: miss #2, #4

You forgot to mention #6. These three notes are holes 4, 5 and 6 overblow,
respectively. Gap the draw reeds low. It may help if the blow reeds are
somewhat low, too. Blow each hole sort of like you were trying to get hole
7 blow bend, but with the mouth larger and the lower jaw dropped. With
practice, the normal blow note will choke off and the desired note, at
first somewhat flat, will sound, and will sound in tune.

>high octave: miss #1, #5

These are the hole 7 and 9 overdraws, respectively. Gap the blow reeds in
these holes somewhat low Draw on the hole with mouth small. With
practice, the usual draw reed can be choked and the overdraw sounds.

The #1 on a 4th octave is also available, as hole 10 overdraw. This note,
and all other overblows and overdraws can, with practice, be bent up
significantly, so you can get 2 and perhaps 2# in the 4th octave.

Hope this helps,
John

>For 2nd position
>low octave: miss #5
>midde octave: miss #5, 7
>high octave: miss #2, #4
>
> If it's really true, how can I play with songs with those missing
notes?
>I play chromatic usually, so I didn't face this limitation.

John Thaden
Little Rock, Arkansas, USA
http://www.flash.net/~jjthaden