RE: Altered Tunings

["Chris Michalek" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>
>
>
>---- Original Message ----
>From: dmf273@xxxxxxxxx
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: RE: Altered Tunings
>Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 16:42:32 -0700 (PDT)
>
>>
>>Chris Michalek wrote:
>>
>>"For me [altered] tunings are limiting, deficient and thus useless."
>
>>
>>But, isn't it true, Chris,  that ALL diatonic tunings are "limiting"
>and "deficient" in
>>one way or another?

Every instrument has limitations of one form or another. 

>>
>>I understand that you have chosen to limit yourself to working
>within the limitations
>>and deficiencies of Richter tuning.  But wasn't that choice based
>more on the
>>widespread availability of Richter tuned harps than on any inherent
>preference you have
>>for Richter tuning over, say, Country tuning or Solo tuning?

This is not true.  I was into altered tuned harps before I knew how
to overblow. Since they were not readily available I made them
myself. 



>>
>>And isn't it true that even for a player as skilled as yourself
>there are certain
>>things you will NEVER be able to do on a Richter tuned harp, that
>you might be able to
>>do with an altered tuning?   

Yes but you seem to be suggesting that we are comparing apple to
apples.  They are not the same.




Not just different chords and
>double-stops, but the way
>>you approach and embellish certain single notes too?  Even if you
>are fluent as Howard
>>Levy in all 12 positions, each position still has its
>idiosyncrancies -- or, to put it
>>less politely,  "deficiencies" which might be ameliorated on an
>altered tuned harp. 
>>You'd probably be trading them for a different set of deficiencies,
>but for a
>>particular song, that altered tuned harp might be the best choice.  
>


I just do what I do and stylisticly the altered tuned harps don't cut
it for my application unless I am using them as a gimic.  I am not
trying to portray an "elitist overblower" attitude.  I don't use
altered tuned harp because everything is more intuitive for me to
play it on my richter tuned harp.  My approach is no different then a
guitarist whom refuses to use a capo.


"Beware of the easy path for it leads to the darkside of the force."
- - Yoda