Re: OTHER TUNINGS

[HarpSPAH@xxxxxxx]

BassHarper wrote:

>Another very interesting project is to reverse the two plates in a Major
harp
>- install the blow plate on the bottom, and the draw on the top of the harp.
> Now you get the Dominant 7th on the blow and the Major on the draw.  The
>draw bends become blow bends, while the blow bends become draw bends.  Bob
>Williams has done this very modification with his Melody Makers, because he
>likes the Major 7th chord on the blow, and the Minor 7th on the draw.

<From Bob Williams,
Actually the reason I reversed the blow and draw reed plates was:
I'm not really too proficient at playing melody in the cross harp position.
 I loved the 6th chords I was getting on the Melody Maker but noticed that if
I reversed the blow and draw plates of the key of C Melody Maker (which is
key of C in crossharp position, draw C, blow D, etc. etc.)  that I could play
the Melodies I already knew in almost the same pattern as I always had but
now I was getting these wonderful chords.   Now my Melody Maker was changed
to blow C, draw D, etc. etc..  The other thing I had to do different was to
play down about two holes lower because the C blow was now around hole 2
instead of hole 4.  That part was a snap.  

I'm sure the cross harp players, which is most of you, don't need to go to
the trouble of switching the reed plates as I did but it's a nice gimmick you
can use for a student just catching on to First Position playing.  They love
the new sound it gives them on melodies.

Bob Williams