Re: [Harp-L] Just something to ponder...

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I think the allure of the Slide Harp -- two diatonics just a button 
press away! -- is dashed by the poor quality generally found in that 
design.  The mouthpiece is very leaky and the plates just aren't up 
to snuff, and even if you can get it to work right, it's bigger and 
fatter.  On top of that, you'd have to have one for each key in 
which you planned to use this scheme.  

In considering which intonation to select for a harmonica it's best 
to think about how it's going to be used.  If you're not playing in 
a lot of less common positions (besides 1st/2nd/3rd) and not playing 
alongside another chromatic instrument like a piano or a guitar and 
not playing precise single note melodies, you likely won't hear too 
much dissonance in a compromise tuning scheme to make it worth going 
to all this effort.  If I was playing a tune that required a precise 
melody or doubling, then also wanted to use chords in a backing 
part, I'd just use two diatonics.  If nothing else, it would be a 
lot cheaper!  

-tim

Tim Moyer
Working Man's Harps
http://www.workingmansharps.com/

David Staley wrote:
> I was just reading some information on tuning schemes on Pat 
> Missins page http://www.patmissin.com/tunings/tun2.html and was
> wondering... Since just intonation sounds better in chords and 
> equal temperment tuning is more melodic, would it be possible or 
> has it been done to make or rework a slide harp or chromatic harp 
> (whichever would be best suited) so that with the button out the 
> harp is just intonation tuned for playing chords, and then when 
> the button is pushed the harp switches to equal tuning for 
> melodies?