[Harp-L] Pentabender

Gary Lehmann gnarlyheman@xxxxx
Mon Nov 7 12:38:28 EST 2016


I retuned three of my 14 hole FourKey harmonicas to PentaBender, each
starting on G3--in three tonal centers--C/D (G), F/G (C), and Bb/C (F).
One of the great things about PentaBender is that each hole can be draw
bent a half step. And it's fully chromatic.
Check out my video on using this tuning to play the horn lines on Uptown
Funk!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKN-IV9xp8Y

On Mon, Nov 7, 2016 at 8:24 AM, David Fairweather <dmf273 at xxxxx> wrote:

> Had a fun harmonica evening with Roger Myerson, inventor of the Pentabender
> tuning.  The tuning is one of several theoretically possible pentatonic
> tunings. (Fourkey tuning is another.) For me, what makes Pentabender
> uniquely intuitive and easy to play is that on a C harp, all the white
> notes of a piano are available as unbent blows and draws, while all the
> black notes are available as simple draw bends.  If you read music the
> Pentabender becomes very easy to sight read on!  I would say that anyone
> interested in exploring Pentatonic tunings would be wise to begin with
> Pentabender.  Of course every tuning has its pros and cons. The drawback
> for Pentabender is limited range. You really need at least a 12 hole harp.
> I'd love to have one of Brendan's Lucky 13 harps retuned to Pentabender.
>


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