Re: [Harp-L] Country tuning specs and recommendations?

[<teyers@xxxxxxxxxx>]

The discussion on alternate tunings comes around often enough for me to throw my two cents worth in, as I've done previously. Apologies in advance to those who have read this before.

Country tuning, that is, raising the number 5 draw a semi tone, and variants of it, for example raising the number 9 draw a semitone also, all have the same aim. This is to play major scale tunes in second position. Lee Oskar take this a step further with the Melody Maker, which raises the 3 hole blow a tone (like the Paddy Richter), but also raises the number 5 and number 9 draw holes a semitone.

The net result of the Melody Maker is that you can play two octaves of a major scale in 2nd position without bends. This allows a different style of playing, where all notes can be played with more or less the same effort, rather than some notes being less accessible due to the bending needed to achieve them (e.g. the full tone bend on the 3 draw often needed with regular tuned harmonicas). Melodies become much easier to play as a result. As a player, you can then give more attention to the articulation of individual notes, which is often hard to do while bending.

I have tuning called "Major Cross", which extends the Melody Maker tuning across the entire instrument, so that all major scale notes are available without bending. Details are at my site http://www.harmonicatunes.com 

Sample tracks are at the site as well. You can judge for yourself whether this tuning is worthwhile.

Cheers,

Tony Eyers
Australia
www.harmonicatunes.com