Re: [Harp-L] Reed Tune-A-Matic

[George Miklas <harmonicat@xxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting!

This could definitely be useful to chromatic players.  Could it be applied
to both blow and draw reeds?


On Wed, Feb 1, 2012 at 10:49 PM, Jim, "Turbodog" Antaki, (PhD) <
turbodog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Friends,
>
> While fooling around with the "TurboSlide" harmonica - the one that uses
> magnets to bend the pitch, an idea came to me.   Whereas the Seydel version
> can bend up to 1-1/2 steps, I was hoping to achieve the same effect by
> modifying a brass-reeded harp.  (By modified, I mean that I add a small
> patch of magnetic paint to the underside of the reed.) But I was barely
> able
> to get 1/2 step bend. Then it occured to me: why not use this effect to
> provide fine-tuning, and thereby obviate the painstaking and reed-damaging
> filing operation.
>
> (In engineering, this is an example of the precept, "If you cannot fix it,
> feature it.")
>
> In other words, I could equip a harmonica with a tuning screw that would
> provide continous pitch adjustment - like the tuning head of a guitar, for
> example.
>
> So my question to you - would any of you use such a feature? And if so,
> which reed(s)do you most frequently find in need of fine-tuning?  And would
> 50 cents (1/4 step) make it worthwhile?
>
> Thanks in advance for your constructive feedback.
>
> Turbodog
>
>