responsiveness of harmonica
As a beginner im using Hohner blues bender harmonica. Mont of holes on harmonica are working fine except it is hard to drow on hole number 7, 8, 9. It require more than normal pressure of air to produce the sound on these holes. Hole no 10 is very less responsive, it require huge amunt of air in-out to produce the sound . Drow on hole no 7, 8, 9 give late responce and it requre to inhale more than normal air. My question is : is something wrong with my harmonica? something wrong with my reed plates? why they are not responsive like others holes? if something is wrong then how do i troubleshot my harmonica? is there anything i can do to make these reeds/holes more responsive?
Thank you for your repaly. As you described above, i open the harmonica cover plates and try to adjust the gaps(low high) accordingly. It help me solve my problem. I also tested for 1 week after adjustment, all draw and blow holes are working fine except high number holes. It feels like exhausted on hole number 8(blow draw), 9(blow draw), 10(blow) on blues bender harmonica. And no matter what i do its hard to blow hole 10. When i open the cover plates again i observed that gap in hole 10 blow reed plate is little short in size. Gap is larger than other reeds. It require very huge amount of air to hear the sound. Is it manufacturing defect? I dont know what it is.
If the gap is unusually higher relative to other reeds, it will require more air to sound, and could benefit from being lowered - a delicate operation with such a short reed.
But it's also woorth mentioning that beginners often shape their mouths in a way that makes the note strugle to come out, even on a well adjusted harmonica. See my comments above
The Blues Bender is a low-priced harmonica that is also not of great quality.
And you're a beginner.
So, is the problem with your technique, with the harmonica, or both?
Without hearing you play and also examining the haronica, I cna't tell for sure. But I can ask some questions that might help you figure it out.
Can you use a screwdriver to unscrew and remove the covers? If so, you can examine the draw reeds, which are the ones mounted on the outside of the bottom reedplate. (The blow reeds are on the top reedplate but are mounted inside the holes.)
Each reed is riveted at one end to the reedplate and mounted over its slot in the reedplate. The other end of the reed, the tip, is at the other end of the slot, slightly above the surface of the reedplate.
If the gap between the tip of the reed and reedplate is too wide, it won't sound unless you move a lot of air. If it's mounted too low, it will clam up unless you breathe very gently.
You can raise or lower the gaps of reeds. I think Kinya Pollard has some videos on this.
Check the gaps for the reeds that are giving you trouble. If they look significantly higher or lower than the gaps of neighboring reeds, that could be causing your problem.
Another thing to check is the screws fastening the reedplates to the comb. If they're too loose, air will leak, making it hard to play a note. Too tight and the reedplates can buckle, again causing leankage. Try loosening the screws one o tw tuns, and then tightening them again, just to the point where the screw resists finger pressure.
So, yo could makes adjustments to the harp - or maybe just buy a beter one, like a Special 20.
But you could also look at how youre playing those notes. The best way to play the high draw reeds is gently, with your throat and mouth (but not your lips) as huge and open as you can make them, to allow air to flow freely between your lungs and the harp. If you inhale without the harp, there should be no noise and no suction.