[Harp-L] Re. Baritone chromatic

[Snaruhn@xxxxxxx]

Hi baritone lovers,

I can fully understand why Michael Peloquin would like to play a
chromatic starting two octaves below middle C, i.e one octave below
the lowest 64 octave. 

I love the lower notes either by psychological reasons and I think that 
goes also for harp friends prefering a tenor 12-holer. When I made my 
10-hole wholetone chrom (Tonie IV) I started with the lowest 64 C by 
using 64 reedplates cut to length same as I do it to make a Tenor CB 12.

However, to manufacture a baritone 64 chromatic is a real challenge even 
for experienced harp customizers. I´ll try to detail that.

Years ago a harp friend presented to me a brand-new Hohner Educator bass of
the early 30ties with the permission to do with that beast whatever I wanted.

This instrument had a V-formed wooden comb with the two mpcs having a 
common base unlike the actual Hohner basses (no. 265, 268) with movable 
parts. I had the idea to make a bass with a slide in order to prevent
the constant changing of the mpcs when playing chromatically. 

I thought, nothing easier than that, took a saw, cut the comb into two parts, 

grinded the V-formed combs parallel, made a mpc of massive plastic and
a monstrous brass slide with an ergonomic slide knob of oak!!   

The Educator has two octaves starting with the C below middle C which 
would be Michael´s wanted baritone tuning,  
       
Hmmmh, basically it worked but not really. My customized Educator has 
15 holes, same as the 265, from C - c´. But, though I stamped the slide holes 

the same way as at a normal chromatic, the chambers of holes 3, 7, 10, 14, 
and 15 are closed at slide in. 

Well, a customizing colleague had said: Not "though" but "because" I stamped 
the holes .....

Yeah, I know why. A bass doesn´t need double Cs, so it´s not possible to
use bass reedplates to simply extend a 64 into a baritone layout. However,
there´s a much bigger problem.

It´s not without reason that basses have blow reeds only because of their 
little responsiveness. The Hohner basses are even octave-tuned, so, the
player needs a doubled air pressure as well. 

So, to emboss bass reedplates would be a very useful idea. 

Originally, I thought it possible to fit out the Educator with blow and draw 
reeds.      
Maybe I should change the blows into draws by simply turning the reedplates,
just to check whether it works or not.

In summary I´d liked to say that the little problems of playing the low 64 
octave 
would dramatically increase at a baritone model.

What a pitty!

Siegfried