[Harp-L] dorian tuning?

["Bob Meehan" <yeehaw@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Everyone,
It has always been my understanding that all Richter tuned harps (ie
regular blues harps) are tuned to dorian mode.
This is 3rd position. The notes of the Dorian mode are right there on the
blues harp. In the key of C, the D Dorian Mode starts on the 4 draw.
One draw also but you need to bend a couple of notes.
It is D, E, F, G, A, B, C and D, with no sharps or flats, as is the case
with all the 7 modes, Ionian (major scale), Dorian,(D to D) Phrigion
(misspelled E to E) Lydian, F to F, G to G, Mixylidan or the "blues
scale", A to A,  Aiolion or natulal minor, and Locrian, B to B.
Please excuse the misspelled words.
These modes are named after places in Greece I have been told by my
teacher HL.
Howard (my teacher) has said that in Locira ( the place the B to B mode in
named after) you cannot get a drink. That is because the Locrian mode does
not have a 5th. Ha, Ha, Ha.
Anyway, for open chords, these altered tunings may be usefull. For playing
single notes, all the Dorian notes are there on a regular harp.
It is my advice to master the modes of the blues harp before expermenting
with altered tunings, as there are 7 modes of the major scale. If you
learn the major scale well enough, you will be able to play the 7 modes of
this scale. If you want to go to the next level, all the natural minor,
harmonic minor, every diminished and augmented scale also has modes, the
same as the major scale! Learning these can be diffucult and finding
places to use them can be difficult too.
Because I customize harps for a living, I can tune a regular harp to any
altered tuning for any customer. If someone really wants this, I will do
it. I will however try to talk you out ot it.
There are a few GREAT players who specialize in altered tunings.
RH, PM and BP are 3 that come to mind. These guys have mastered the
regular tuned harps first!
All the best,
Bob Meehan
bobmeehan.net
843-670-3154