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

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

This idea sounds feasible for just about every harmonica. Even though they are "tuned at the factory," many harps are not playable out of the box without some adjustment.. Also, unlike guitars that can be tuned up and used by any player regardless of skill or attack, there is much variation among harmonica players on how hard or soft they play the harp, which affects the tuning. This device would let everyone tune up to his or her own playing style. Once set up, the harp would play in tune rather than required an embouchure adjustment for each reed.


Which reeds would need the adjustment? All. Then everybody would need special tuners to calibrate their harps!

Phil Lloyd




-----Original Message-----
From: Jim, "Turbodog" Antaki, (PhD), (PhD) <turbodog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wed, Feb 1, 2012 10:51 pm
Subject: [Harp-L] Reed Tune-A-Matic


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 occurred 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 continuous 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