INDEX

January 2008

Turbocharge Your Harmonica!

"Turbocharge Your Harmonica" is the title of a book that I have been writing and illustrating. This book will give you detailed information on how to upgrade, tune, adjust and maintain your harmonicas. The main focus is on the diatonic, but the information on reeds and slots can be used for any type of harmonica or free reed instrument. I will let you know when it will be avalable. If you want to pre-order to be one of the first to get a copy, please contact me at: rharp@uplink.net.

Thanks!

In the mean time, I am working on some projects to make it easier for people that want to improve their own harps, including tool kits and harp tech instruction.

Harp Tech Instruction

I am now accepting students to come and study harmonica technology or music with me at my shop in Philipsburg PA. If you know of anyone that would be interested, please have them get in touch. I will be posting more on this soon - check out the testimonials that follow...

I have been working on a series of drawings and articles on harmonica technology, and if you have questions on reed replacement or other issues, let me know. This will help me to focus my writing and illustrations on subjects that are of interest to you. I will also keep you directly updated when the material is available.

Testimonials:

"I greatly enjoyed working with Richard. I had a lot of ah-ha moments as Richard cleared up one mystery after another with his demonstrations and explanations. Watching a master technician at work and being able to ask questions on the spot is so easy and fun that I did not realize how much I was learning until later on. We worked on a wide variety of harps including XB-40s, chromatics and standard diatonics, and Richard's approach seemed direct and right on for all of them.

Being able to try things out immediately and then have them critiqued gave me a chance to do an on the spot reality check on what was actually sinking in and uncover more questions and clarifications.

Whether it was routine maintenance, emergency repairs, or just to get a better understanding of the principles which make these instruments work, I found the instruction invaluable. Learning from Richard was a rewarding experience that gave me the confidence to go beyond basic repair to trying out some of my own customizing ideas."

I was fortunate to have spent two weekends with Richard at times when he had gigs in nearby State College, PA (Penn State Univ). Working by day and enjoying great music at night was the perfect combination if it can be arranged.

I hope to return again to take advantage of Richard's experience as a harmonica instructor as well as have him critique some of the customizing work I have done since my last visit."

Terry Dyroff

Silver Spring, MD

"I consider myself pretty mechanically inclined and thought I knew my way around a harp before our session. Boy was I wrong! I didn't know how much I needed to learn until Richard showed me his invaluable techniques and tips.

I just finished my first "on my own" harp tuning session. Wow what a difference in the sound... I can't say enough about the value of the techniques and tips he shared with me. Run
don't walk to the master!"

George Barnabic

Indian Mills, NJ