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From: "Jonathan Ross"
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 1998 16:56:33 -0500
Subject: Re: Valves - When and Why

Ironman wrote:
> Valved bends are often capable of VERY deep bends. On my valved C, I can
> bend 5B from E down through Bb, for a total of six semitones.
>

He is absolutely right, BUT, when you get started this will not be at all
easy. I know, as I'm only just starting to seriously use valves on my
harps--I have a slight advantage, javing played chroms longer than harps,
but it's still quite hard. So far, there are times when I'm fluent and
sweet--IMO, not bragging, just talking about my personal feel--with nice
deep blow bends to compement my draw bends:) However, there are also just
as many, if not more, times when I feel ready to rip the valves off,
because they buzz, stick, choke or just plain feel WRONG. Basically,
though, I'm sure that this will change with practice, and I'll get just as
comfortable with the valve-bends as I am with "normal" two-reed bends.
After all, this weird feeling is fairly similar to those I got when first
blow-bending in the top octave:) And all this is nothing compared to the
trouble which I felt when I first started to bend anything:)

My advice with anything harp-related, give it a try, and if at first you
don't like it, practise untill you do. Or, practice untill you can
honestly say, I tried, but I just didn't like it. This is what I'm doing
with both valved-harps and overbends right now, I may end up prefering the
valvers, because of my style, but I'm not about to close off my mind till I
get decent enough at both to make a choice not based upon what I CAN'T do,
but what I WANT to do:)

BTW, I'm not talking to anyone in particular, just rambling:)


JRR
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