Re: [Harp-L] Richter Shift Tuning

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I call that an extended version of standard tuning (I avoid calling it Richter because Richter is a construction, not a tuning).

First, think of a window that is 10 holes wide. All you can ever see through that window is 10 holes at a time.

Of course we know of windows that are 12 and 14 holes wide.

The usual 12-hole window (as in the Hohner #364) lets us see 2 more holes on the right, and those 2 extra holes extend the tuning on the high end.

The 14-hole window comes in two versions:

-- A window that shows us 4 extra holes on the high end (such as the Hohner 365)

-- A window that shows us 3 extra holes on the low end and one on the high end (the Hohner SBS)

Now we have a total of 17 holes to play with. But if you have a window that's 10 holes wide, you can't see all 17 holes, so you have to locate the 10 holes you want to see somewhere along that 17-hole continuum.

Tremolo harps do this, and so do 10-key button accordions. They all locate their 10 holes (sometimes more on tremolo harps) somewhere along that continuum. Often, they start on Hole 2 of the standard 10-howl tuning and extend to Hole 11 or 13.

The one you're talking about has a window that starts on Hole -3 (i.e. the third hole of SBS tuning) and extends to Hole 9.

Does this make sense to you?

Winslow
 
Winslow Yerxa
President, SPAH, the Society for the Preservation and Advancement of the Harmonica
Producer, the Spring 2014 Harmonica Collective
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: Greg Jones <greg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Monday, March 3, 2014 4:31 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Richter Shift Tuning
 

I'm not sure what this tuning is called but it is sort of a modified or
shortened version of SBS that I'll call Richter Shift.  In this case, I
took a 10 hole Seydel 1847 and built in the key of (A) with the root
starting on hole 2 blow. The hole #1 note is an E/G#.

The advantage is it amounts to a HIGH A that is all stainless steel reed.
Of course you have to get used to the notes being shifted over 1 hole, but
the other advantage is a full 3 octaves of 2nd position play.   It is nice
to be able to get above the other instruments and I can see this working
out well for (G) and (A) and possible more in a country/bluegrass context.
To get a HIGH A, it still required some 1/2 step re-tuning so it isn't
possible on the CONFIGURATOR.

Email me if this interests you.

1st take over a backing track on the playing and yes, I missed a few
turnarounds and chord changes..

https://soundcloud.com/greg-jones-9/seydel-1847-high-a-special


*Greg Jones*
*16:23 Custom Harmonicas*
*(210) 445-6600*
1623customharmonicas.com