RE: XB-40

["Rick Epping" <REpping@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Bobbie,

Thank you for your question in regard to the XB-40's tuning.  The harp
will be compromise tuned to A-442 at low to moderate volume level,
similar to the MS series.  The auxiliary reeds will be tuned low enough
so that equal tempered wholetone bends can be made without pushing the
bent notes to their absolute limit.  This will not only help to avoid
straining the reeds, it will
allow for greater expression and range of pitch correction for bent
notes.  The player should be able to make wholetone bends on all notes
to as low as A-439 without straining the reeds.  

In response to a suggestion from a couple of blues players, an exception
has been made to the temperament of the XB-40's #2 draw bend.  In
crossed position, the wholetone bent note on the #2 draw of a standard
10-hole diatonic is the dominant 7th.  As a result of that instrument's
note layout, a full bend on the #2 draw will pitch the dominant 7th
close to Just intonation.  Blues player are used to playing a Just
intoned dominant 7th on the #2 draw bend and might hear it as too sharp
and out of tune were that note on the XB-40 to be Equal Tempered.
Consequently, the #2 draw auxiliary reed of the XB-40 is tuned to enable
a #2 draw bend similar to that of a standard diatonic.  

Thanks go out to Norton Buffalo and Steve Baker for that one.

Best regards,          
  
Rick Epping
Hohner, Inc.