If you had the HARPSMITH all to yourself ...

Wow - this is better than the Sears Christmas catalogue!!! ;-)

OK - I'd want to start with some time on basic maintenance - cleaning and checking reeds for 'minor' common problems eg(squeals, no sound). Then a session on basic tuning (checking, raising, lowering pitch). Moving on to next level; adjusting reeds for bends (draw and blow) - maybe first a primer on what actions go on when bending a note. All of these would be demo / explanation followed by hands on practice under your 'eyes'.

If there were time, some time on what differences there are in the different types of harps and reeds there are out there.

And then when I came back for day 2, we'd get some time on modifications for OB's

Hey - I couldn't afford most of the stuff I wished for out of the Christmas catalogue either, but what fun dreaming!!! Thanks Kinya

Just like the Christmas catalogue - sleep on it and suddenly something else comes to mind..........

Now we are on day 2, taking a chromatic apart for checking, cleaning and basic maintenance like windsavers and tuning. Also a look at how to adjust the tips of the reeds for 'dip bends' playing.

So when in September do you hold your sessions??

Ok - maybe this is just a condensation of all but, I guess, I have the basic stuff covered (like maintenance and tuning) thanks to the materials from you, RIchard Sleigh and WInslow (Harmonica for Dummies), what I'd really like is to learn to customize my harps - or is that what all of the topics mentioned add up to?? I have a conceptual understanding of what is done but questions in my mind are things like; how big a gap if I play hard like Andy Just or soft like Joe Filisko; how much difference in the gap between the reeds in one hole vs reeds in 10 hole; whats the most effective way to set up Richter tuning and other tunings.

The chromatic stuff is still on my list along with a hands on exploration of different harps, reeds and the differences.

The more I think on it, the more the list gets refined. Items on the Christmas Wish book list got sorted too!! "Now what I really need is this feature - dammit, it only comes on the expensive model" ;-)

Thanks Kinya - this exercise has made me think through what I really would like to (and need to) learn. I know the material is out there but just like with any lessons, reading about it is one thing but its not like first hand live instruction and practising under the "Master's eyes".

Yeah, I never got all I wanted out of the Christmas catalogue either!!! :-) But hey, if you don't ask ...............

This sounds pretty exciting Kinya and David. I'm sure it will be well received and extremely useful. And just maybe, I have to book a flight to San Jose and become that "fly on the wall" so I can learn more!!

Thanks