Pro Master or Special 20 for Beginner?
Howdy -
I've read, or heard, recently that as a beginner the harp I'm gonna get best on is the one I begin playing with, and or course play more often.. here's my question -
I've recently started and am still in tongue block study #1 - I bought a Special 20(in A) & 3 ProMaster Valved(in A & C & F# - the F# was too cheap to pass up)
My question is this... in MOST of your opinions, which are better harps?
Thanks,
RussInVegas
I'm not sure it's necessarily a good idea to stick with just one harp or model, even when you're just starting.
Valved harps will sound different from unvalved - the blow notes wil be louder, and may even bend when you don't mean them to , which is good for your bending control and for your tone, as it helps prevent you from closing up your oral cavity.
Suzuki and Hohner have difference philosophies about how a reed should sound. Hohner goes for more high-frequency overtone energy, which players characterize variously as warm, bright, and even dirty. Suzuki goes, for a pure, round tone that has relatively little high-frequency overtones in the sound, which is mellower.
Another difference is finue tuning. Promasters are equal-tempered, which puts all the single notes in tune with a piano but makes chords sound a bit harsh. Special 20s are tempered to make the chords sound smooth, but at the expense of some notes sounding a little flat relative to a piano.
Man winslow you always have the best answerz. I never even thought of the valves being used that way.
Well in my opinion the promaster is a very solid harp. However i wasnt really happy with the playability of the one i have. Mine is not valved. I also think you shouldn't be playing valved harps yet.
I would say SP20 or even Seydel Session Steel. Great beginner harps.
Alot of folks dig the big river. Never had one so couldn't say. But the price is right.