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From: Mike Curtis
Date: Sat, 30 Nov 1996 14:19:01 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: resonant bends tm

On Sat, 30 Nov 1996, fjm wrote:

> I'd like to have a theory for how notes that are bent using force are
> bent. It can't be resonance right, afterall the finesse bend is the
> only bend that employs resonance. How is resonant coupling not a
> force? Excuse me energy. I do know one thing, don't blow on that
> harmonica and unless you pluck the reed or drop it you won't hear a
> thing. Before you all flood my mailbox with explanations realise that I
> don't think there's supportive evidence for the current 2 bend tm
> theory. Inefficent, more efficent perhaps. fjm

Check my other post regarding the test with the two types of bending and
how one operates the closing reed and the other doesn't.

Nonresonant bends use a much smaller mouth size, so I theorize it may be
tweaking frequency by inductively loading the reed, or perhaps by
increasing the coupling between the reeds, causing overcoupling and
frequency shift. It could also be that by redirecting the air, the
closing reed is activated. Or it could be a combination of these factors.
But it's NOT due to resonance of the player. In any case, the opposite
reed activates to make it work.

Resonant bending couples a second resonance to the single reed, thereby
pulling the frequency by (not resonance coupling, but) overcoupling. Same
principle used in bass reflex enclosures to make the single resonant hump
into a classic double hump with less impedance per hump. This is done on
the SAME reed.

Apparently, nonresonant bending requires an "external" resonance (that of
the second reed) to change pitch. Resonant bending does not. Nonresonant
bending doesn't work on valved harps.

I can do both types of bend - one with a scrunched-up mouth, the other
with a big, wide open interior. I believe this may well extend down the
windpipe and into the chest - I can sure FEEL it down there.


-- IronMan Mike Curtis
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