Re: [Harp-L] harp tuning

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jim McBride wrote:
> Equal tuning sets each note to the exact pitch and allows melody 
> and single note playing to sound best. Just tuning adjusts a few 
> of the pitches so that the intervals are correct - this makes 
> chords sound good. Do you harp tuning experts out there agree with 
> this simple explanation? Now a few questions for the experts...

It's more like: equal temperament divides the notes between the 
octaves into even spaces, so that chords in each key sound equally 
bad ;-).

1) Why don't I hear about Equal  vs. Just tuning on other 
instruments that play both single notes and chords? You never hear 
guitar or piano players discussing this. Why only harp?

The discussion has more to do with chromatic vs. diatonic 
instruments.  Diatonic instruments (like harmonica) are by 
definition designed to play in one key (okay, different keys in 
different modes, but let's keep it simple here).  For that reason 
the notes that will be played in combination (chords) are 
predictable, and can be optimized to sound best together.  Chromatic 
instruments are required to play in a variety of keys, and it's less 
predictable which notes will be played together, so rather than 
adjust for one or a couple to sound best (this was done in the 
past), these instruments are adjusted so that all chording sounds 
equally good (or bad, depending on your point of view). 
 
2) I like to play SP20's but can't find any info on how they are 
tuned. I believe they are Just tuned because I know that my Herring 
1923 is Just tuned and the SP20 sounds very close to it. Does anyone 
know how Hohner tunes SP20's?
 
Hohner handmade harps are tuned to a compromise intonation between 
just and equal.  The notes are tuned *toward* just intonation, but 
stop short of true just.  This helps them sound a little closer to 
the mark when single notes are played in concert with other 
chromatic instruments, but without completely sacrificing the 
chords.  I've included a chart at the bottom of this message.

3) Is the 5 draw one of the notes that get adjusted for Just tuning? 
I have a particular song, "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix (E minor) 
where I play a simple 3rd position solo with a D harp. I have a 5 
draw in the solo and everytime I play it I hear it slightly off. Its 
close, but I can tell something is wrong. I thought maybe I was 
accidentally bending it, or that the particular SP 20 I used was out 
of tune. But now I'm thinking its the Just tuning. Should I get a 
Golden Melody which is Equal  tuned to solve this?

The 5 draw (and 9 draw) are the biggest deviation from equal 
temperament when a harp is tuned to just intonation, and in some 
compromise tunings as well.  In 7-limit just, for example, the 5 
draw is tuned 29 cents flat of the equally tempered b7, which is 
pretty damned flat.  In the Hohner compromise intonation, I believe 
this number is around 12 cents flat of equal temperament.  In 19-
limit just, however, the note is 2 cents sharp of equal.  Golden 
Melodies are ostensibly tuned to equal temperament, as are Lee 
Oskars, so these would give you a "more accurate" 5 draw, relative 
to chromatic instruments.  

4) Does anyone have a straightforward chart on the factory tuning 
for particular harps? What I had in mind was taking a harp and 
checking it on my chromatic tuner and adjusting it back to the 
proper factory tuning. For example, the chart might tell me that my 
5 draw should be tuned 20 cents sharp from the intended note.

Here's the "factory" intonation for a Special 20 (and Marine Band):

blow +00 -10 +01 +00 -10 +01 +00 -10 +01 +00
hole 001 002 003 004 005 006 007 008 009 010
draw +02 +01 -11 +02 -12 +03 -11 +02 -12 +03

These values are all in cents from the reference pitch, which is 
probably around A=442 (8 cents sharp) or A=443 (12 cents sharp).  
Notice that the octaves are tuned identically, both on the blow side 
and the draw side.  

Happy tuning!

-tim

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