Re: [Harp-L] Re: sharp 5 draw

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Jan 11, 2005, at 9:01 AM, Richard Hunter wrote:

> Joe Leone wrote:<leone@xxxxxxxx>
> "> On a country tuned harmonica, the 5 draw sharped, (on
> a C harp this
> > would be
> > the F tuned up to F#) can you bend the 5 draw F# down
> to F?
> Absolutely, but this tuning would be rough to do Rocky Top with"
>
> So use a standard tuning for Rocky Top...
 * Yes, this is basically what I'm telling him. Once you cut that reed 
it will be hard to catch it "on the fly" already bent for really quick 
stuff. Shakes, warbles, and slurs will be nigh impossible at speed, but 
or course that bend  can be handled at ballad speed with no problem.
 Doing the Ryman in 78 with Ernest Tubb, I used one of MY tuned harps 
on Londonderry Aire. Several folks didn't understand why I used 2 harps 
(instead of 4). The tune is slow enough.

> No single tuning is best for every song. That's why it's nice to have
> different tunings to choose from.

 Absolutely
> The tunings I use most frequently, in order, are 1) standard, 2) 
> natural
> minor, 3) country, and 4) dorian minor.  Playing these tunings in
> different positions gives you a lot to work with.  Dorian minor, for
> example, works great in 1st position for tunes like "Tequila", where 
> you
> go back and forth between two major chords a full step apart; in second
> position, it's great for tunes like "Moondance."

 Well, you're much more advanced than I. I use a chromo on Moondance, 
but I had been looking into natural minors when I gave up.
> I have other tunings in certain keys in my case.  For the "Homeless in
> Paradise" documentary I did recently, the instrument I used most was a
> Paddy Richter-tuned D harp, which happens to be the only Paddy Richter
> in my case -- I'm sure glad the guy wrote the music in D!

 I would never be able to keep all those tunings straight in my head. I 
gotta hand it to ya.......jojo
> Regards, Richard Hunter
> hunterharp.com