A reason for playing scales

[Ed McCullough]

Playing scales helps you discover the notes that are weaker, stronger than the others or have a read or valve problem that you can solve. If you can make all of the reeds in your harmonica have the same response, then you suddenly have an excellent harmonica

[SlimHeilpern]

If that is the goal, it'd be better to just play every reed on the axe. Even a straight chromatic scale won't hit every reed. I do the following each time I'm going to play a particular harmonica, it's kind of fun:

- Start at the bottom hole, button out and blow that note, then move to hole 2 and blow with the button _in_, next hole, blow with button out, repeat this pattern all the way up to the last hole
- Next, start at the top hole, blow with button out, same pattern as above but going down (button out, button in, button out, etc...)
- Now repeat both of the above steps, but with all draw instead of blow

Following that you've hit every reed on the axe. After you get used to the pattern, it's very quick to test all the reeds and it almost sounds musical :-).

Caveat: this assumes your chromatic has an even number of holes.

For bonus points try doing the above without pausing your breath at all between notes (so, a continuous stream of air) while still hitting each note cleanly. This will help to improve your slide and positioning technique while testing the reeds.

Of course there _are_ many good reasons to practice scales, and there are so many kinds of scales to practice!

- Slim

[Wendellfiddler]

I just blow and draw with the button in and the button out on each hole before I start a gig.  It immediately finds the stuck reed and valves.   At gigs I carry multiple harps, so if I can't clear the issues quickly I just pick up another one.   I think lately that my saliva is getting more and more sticky and I haven't been rinsing my mouth enough so I encounter a lot of stuck valves.   

doug tanner 

[Ed McCullough]

I carry toothbrushes in my backpacks and fanny pack. I'm very rigorous about cleaning my mouth and flossing my teeth. A few months ago I bought an electric toothbrush. This one allows you to replace batteries, so you can use rechargeable batteries. It uses 2 AA batteries. I must have had this brush for about 5 months and the original batteries are still working fine. It is the Oral-B brand electric toothbrush, costing about $10 in Walmart. Other brands of electric toothbrushes were much more inconvenient. This is one of the best use of $10 I've come across.

[Age]

I just blow and draw with the button in and the button out on each hole before I start a gig.  It immediately finds the stuck reed and valves.   At gigs I carry multiple harps, so if I can't clear the issues quickly I just pick up another one.   I think lately that my saliva is getting more and more sticky and I haven't been rinsing my mouth enough so I encounter a lot of stuck valves.   

doug tanner

"I just blow and draw with the button in and the button out on each hole before I start a gig.  It immediately finds the stuck reed and valves."

Yep! Works for me too. I also carry a hat pin in my bag (or whatever) to instantly fix anything I can't just "blow out." Only takes a second.

[Wendellfiddler]

A hatpin, good idea.  Now where does one find a hatpin these days?   I haven't seen one since I was a kid.

doug tanner

[Gnarly He Man]

https://youtu.be/N6_PjRCkGoo?si=4p6O41UqfY0_dc_8
My mom loved Elsa Lanchester!

[Age]

A hatpin, good idea.  Now where does one find a hatpin these days?   I haven't seen one since I was a kid.

doug tanner

Inna a really old lady's hat, of course.
My mother-in-law died at 101. LOL!

[smojoe]

I actuate each reed, and carry a hat pin. But any pin will do. I carry a small cardboard box I made myself the same size as a 270. It fits in a space for a 270. It contains, (but not limited to), razor blade, extra valves, thickened nail polish, tooth picks, hat pin, SAFETY pin already cut to use as a slide spring, extra screws & nuts, tiny screw driver, cigarette papers (for cleaning between valves), etc.? For trumpet..oil, for clarinette..floor stand.

I don haf to cho yoo any steenkin badges