Hi all! I’m trying to phrase this question the best I can, since I myself am not exactly sure what it is I’m asking. But.
When I first got the seydel session standard, I’d need to take breaks/stop because presumably it got soggy/wet inside and stuff, then with practice I got better and later also go the Special 20. The special 20 is magical somehow, in that in never seems to get the “soggy reeds” issues, either that or I assumed I “got good.” Then, I got a easttop - with it, after a while (maybe like 20-30 minutes of playing), the reeds would become “soggy” again (causing a more ‘heavy’ feel to them and more prone to getting stuck and needing to be unstuck through blow/draw bends).
Did anyone else have a similar experience, and perhaps phrase what I was trying too convey in a more elegant way?
Interesting question @yuriythebest
This is not an answer - but an add on to the curiosity.
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I wonder if the different brands and qualities use different material for reeds… if so, maybe different materials have different tendencies for absorption
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I wonder also if the key matters because the amount of air needed. Example a lower key like G 2 blow requires a bit more air than a C or D blow 2. Air is moist coming out of our mouth - so I would think more air more moisture.
Again not an answer - just some thought - I am looking forward to the answers on this one.
Mike
They do use different materials. Hohner uses Brass, Seydel uses Stainless Steel, and mostly Asian manufacturers like Suzuki and Kongsheng use phosphor bronze.
to clarify, in the case of seydel, I was using the session standard (the non-steel version with brass reeds)
I had this issue playing the train because of my Lung issues I produce a lot of saliva I now thanks to advice from @davidkachalon tilt my head back so the saliva go down my throat I’ve found East Top do goop up a bit but the tilt has cut down on the problem significantly, I have a couple of Wilde tuned harps by Seydel But I haven’t played them long enough to detect any issues. I’ve had to stop playing for a bit came down with flu
ooh that might actually be it, or at the very least contribute to my issue - I should remember to have my head not tilted down
Yes, it’s an easy habit to fall into, I always kept my head down, it wasn’t that much of a problem, because I sing a bit, then play and so on. But doing the train is continuous no breaks off the harp to sing, I couldn’t break 130 bpm on my train ( still can’t but I’m told that’s a quite respectable target) but one of the issues was reed clogging from moisture, it was David who passed on a couple of tips one was relax my jaw and breathing a bit more the other was tilt my head back so the saliva goes down my throat rather than into the harp. I’m still recovering from flu atm so I haven’t got beyond my target.
Okay, so this was in fact the “main” issue, and you helped me re-rediscover the amazing technique of “hanging the tabs somewhere high up so that you look upward while playing” - I used to do that but after needing to practice in a different room forgot about it and assumed my technique was already good. But no, it’s important to have your head up.
