--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, Don Whitener <whitener@xxxx> wrote:
It is my understanding that Hohner creates their country tuning by raising 5D by one semitone. I read that others raise both 5D and 9D by a semitone which intuitively makes more sense by keeping both octaves the same. I am curious as to why Hohner chooses to leave 9D unchanged. Is there a good reason?
I don't have any idea when Hohner did this but I first did it in 1959. I do both the 5 and the 9. It opened up a whole raft of pop tunes, so I just called it 'pop tuning'. I do the 9 because back in those days I didn't have a clue about over blowing, under blowing, double sucking, long haul trucking, or any of that jazz.
I didn't do much country then but was heavily into 'Hit Parade' type junk. A short list of tunes that I thought were cute:
Morning Side of the Mountain/Twilight Side of the Hill
A Rose & a Baby Ruth
As Time Goes by (requires second harp 4 steps UP)
Cupid
Danny Boy (which I did on the Jerry Lewis Telethon of 1975 and only used 2 harps (with key change)...usual was to use 4 at that time)
Daddy's Home
Frosty Snowman
Georgia OMM
Hey There Lonely Girl
My Little Penthouse
La La La etc Means I Love You
Call me Mr Blue
Oh Boy
Put Your Head on my Shoulder
Someone to Watch Over me
Sunny Side of the Street
Tragedy (requires second harp 3 steps UP)
Walking my Baby Back Home/You Make me Feel so Young (medley with Lombardo 1962)
There are tons more, but you get the general idea. Many country tunes can now be done with 2 harps when everyone used to use 4 (with key changes) or even 6 (if there was a 'rough' spot in the bridge(s). I usually got by with 1, 2, or 3 in the same situations. I also wasn't too shy about cutting a reed for only one particular tune. These days I don't bother and if it's too wierd for me, I grab a chromagnon. (I'm too lazy and not that bright). There's guys on this list who can make doze babies 'talk'...I'm too lazy and dumb.
smokey-joe
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