Tremolo on a Richter Diatonic Harmonica?
Hello Harmonicats,
When playing octaves (two reeds of the same pitch one octave apart simultaneously), do you hear a tremolo … a quiver or beat?
Most players (and audience in the know) find this extremely annoying. Essentially one of the two reeds is out of tune.
Maybe it’s time to begin a dialog regarding reed tuning … what do you think gang?
“Play the notes people want to hear” © 2008
Kinya Pollard
The Harpsmith
Hank -
I can't help wondering whether that Draw 5 reed is headed for failure. I don't mean because you've done anything wrong. It could simply be ready to break.
Here's why I say that.
When you raise the pitch of a reed significantly - and a semitone is significant - the pitch usually continues to creep upward slightly after you've stopped tuning. (This is one of the annoying facts of tuning, which is why it's not uncommon to do one or more touch-up tunings spaced several days apart and several days after the initial tuning).
If the pitch keeps going down after you tune a reed, that's characteristic of a reed that will soon break off.
I have a test for reed failure; I cal it the 100-plink test. I pluck a reed (lift it 2 or 3 millimeters and release) about 100 times in a row (it's not hard of you do it quickly, and I just count to 8 twelve or more times).
If the reed survives this relatively gentle test, it's fine for now. But if it's ready to fail, it will usually do so during he 100-plink test. It will stop springing back , dive into its slot, then develop a visible crease (usually lateral in my experience) and then just break off.
Hello Hank,
I believe Winslow’s assessment and recommendation is spot on.
If the reed is fractured and has broken off, this would be a terrific opportunity to practice your reed replacement techniques!
Kinya
Hey Kinya - I think that would be great! I just finished (is it ever finished??) taking an old Sp20 Richter tuned and because I wanted to try country tuning, started to mess around with the 5 draw to bring it from F to F#. Finally got it there but soon after realized that it kept creeping back towards F. My guess is you have to keep at it until it stays?? So a dialogue on tuning would be great with you there as resource!!
Thanks