RE: [Harp-L] The Outstanding Musical Value of Alternate Tunings

["Gary Lehmann" <hqr@xxxxxxx>]

This thread is of particular significance to me, as I have dipped deep into
the well of custom tunings of late-- 
Tim (and most folks here) are simply more familiar with Richter than other
tunings, and that makes for fluidity.
Melody Maker allows draw bends on the chord notes of the tonic key--that's
useful if you enjoy the flavor that bends impart to the sound. I like MM so
well I have moved on to the Major Cross tuning that is a relative--10 blow
is down a half step, and the bottom is retuned to start on the 5th note of
the scale and go up the diatonic scale--no major scale notes omitted
I recently created a bunch of Magic Bop Band tuned harps--it's chromatic,
only one OB, all other notes are available either naturally or with draw
bends. Now if I can just remember the tuning . . .
And lastly, I am eagerly awaiting an XB-40 in G that Pat Missin is tuning to
Paddy. The valves had curled on it so badly that it sounded like a kazoo--I
bet his work will make this one my go-to harp, although having learned the
Melody Maker tuning, Paddy seems awkward. I am hoping this will change once
I start using the altered XB.
Let's face it, the tuning can make a difference in lots of ways, and not
every harp player will want to adjust to a new one, just as not all
guitarists will change tuning.
Gary

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Chris Michalek
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 7:26 AM
To: Tim Moyer; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] The Outstanding Musical Value of Alternate Tunings 

Tim, I don't mean to offend you but I thought your playing on the richter
tuned harps was much better than the altered tuned ones. In this case your
sound was more even and your playing was MUCH more fluid then when you
played the altered tuned harps.  There were a few times I wondered to myself
why you chose to played the altered harps over the regular ones. I assume at
the time you were experiment and forcing yourself out of the box.  

You've got a remarkable sound and incredible dexterity on the regular harp.
I love it.


>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tim Moyer [mailto:wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 07:06 AM
>To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: [Harp-L] The Outstanding Musical Value of Alternate Tunings 
>
>Richard Hunter wrote:
>> If I next read a discussion from someone on this list of the 
>> outstanding musical value of using multiple full sets of alternate 
>> tuned diatonics, including Dorian and Natural Minor, Country 
>> Tuned, Melody Maker, Paddy Richter, Paddy Richter Minor, and 
>> others, well, I'll just beam all day long.
>
>Not that I'm trying just to make Richard's day, but my regular "gig 
>set" includes a full set (12 keys plus loF and hiG) of Paddy Richter 
>tuned and a full set (12 keys) of Melody Maker tuned diatonics.  I 
>don't carry any "standard" tuned harps.  
>
>The band I play with does a lot of jazz standards and a lot 
>of "bluesy" jazz numbers, and this is what works for me.  I used to 
>carry a few natural minor tuned harps, but have gradually migrated 
>all that material over to Melody Makers in 5th (or 4th, depending on 
>how you look at it) position.  
>
>I prefer the Paddy Richter tuning for most things in 1st through 4th 
>positions, since the removal of the enharmonic 2nd position tonic 
>provides, without a bend: 1) 6th in the C scale, 2) 2nd in the G 
>scale, 3) 5th in the D scale, and, 4) lower octave tonic in the A 
>scale, which is great for 4th position minor.  Not using many (any?) 
>chords in my playing, I find the biggest challenge to be the loss of 
>the 3 draw bend down three semitones, which I have to do with a 2 
>hole overblow.  
>
>For many major scale tunes I like the Melody Maker tuning, since it 
>has the major 7th in second position without an overblow.  I don't 
>mind the overblow on other tunings for some songs, but when the 
>melody turns on the major 7th, as many things do (Georgia, When I 
>Fall in Love), I like having it there naturally.  Having now moved 
>much of the minor stuff to 5th on the Melody Maker broadens the use 
>of that tuning for me.  
>
>In the alternate tunings seminar I had a chance to jam with Jimi 
>Lee, who played an interesting tune that had the chorus in F minor, 
>and moved to the relative major, Ab, for the bridge.  Jimi played a 
>Fmin Lee Oskar natural minor (root note on the Bb), and I played an 
>Ab Melody Maker (root note on the Db), and it was pretty simple to 
>move between the minor and major changes, since the notes are all 
>there.  
>
>-tim
>