Re: [Harp-L] Harp-O-Chord

["Vern Smith" <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter McGuire" <peter.mcguire@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 9:32 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Harp-O-Chord


> Hi all,

> Two nights ago my bandmates gave me a Harp-o-Chord, a sort of zither-type 
> instrument that holds a harmonica. See 
> >http://www.fretlesszithers.net/harpochord.htm for more information.  They 
> want me to get a tune ready for the summer gigs. I was wondering if >anyone 
> throughout history ever made a recording using the Harp-O-Chord of if there 
> were ever any pieces/performers connected to it.

> Any help in selecting a piece is appreciated.

> Peter

It is an interesting instrument and an interesting problem. I con't know of 
any recordings but do have some suggestions.

There should be no problem selecting a piece.  You do appear to have some 
severe limitations:

- Unless you understand the "missing notes" on a Richter diatonic and have 
facility in bending to obtain them, I suggest a concert-tuned diatonic 
harmonica.  Because the strings provide the chords, you will have less need 
for the draw-dominant chord of the Richter-tuned diatonic.

-Select a diatonic tune with no accidentals ( sharps and flats that do not 
appear in the key signature)

- Select a tune with only the 3 main chords tonic, dominant, and 
subdominant. (e.g. C, G, and F in the key of C) I presume that the three 
group-of-three sets of strings will be tuned to provide these three 
chords... probably in the key of C.  If you find sheet music in another key, 
it will have to be transposed to the key of your instrument.

I presume that the strings will be tuned as follows:

Individual bass strings:  G, C, F, an octave lower that the sets-of-three 
strings.
Sets-of-3 strings: C/I chord (C, E, G), F/IV chord ( F, A, C), G/V chord (G, 
B, D)

A slightly more sophisticated tuning might be: C7 chord (C, E, Bb),  F chord 
( F, A, C), and G7 chord (G, B, F).  Then when the C chord is needed, do not 
pluck the Bb and when the G chord is needed, do not pluck the F.  The third 
note in each chord is the fifth and contributes little to the harmony.  The 
C7 and G7 chords are frequently used even in simple pieces.  A 
frequently-useful A-minor chord is obtained by plucking just the A and C 
strings of the F-chord set-of three.  Here again, the omission of the fifth 
(E) from the Am chord loses very little musically.   This tuning and the 
ability to omit one string from each set of-three provides C, C7, F, Am, G 
nd G7 chords and improves the chordal possibilities considerably.  It all 
depends on how nimble are your fingers and how much you want to remember.

The bass notes will be plucked with your thumb and the sets-of-three chords 
will be plucked with your index, middle, & ring fingers. Your accompaniment 
will be "bass - chord - bass - chord" for 4/4 meter and "bass - chord - 
chord" for 3/4 meter.  - Wreck of the Old 97, Listen to the Mocking Bird, 
Wabash Cannon Ball, When the Saints Go Marching In, Michael Row the Boat 
Ashore, Irish Washerwoman, are lively possibilities.  There are many more 
possibilities, but you must avoid the accidentals and stay with the 
available chords.  IF you understand crossharp and bend, some blues are 
possible.

Playing some strings in one 3-string group and some strings in another 
3-string group would greatly increase the chordal possibilities but may 
require more finger facility and chord knowledge that you wish to acquire 
for on this arcane instrument. The pictures indicate that the inventors went 
on to much more complex string arrangements...approaching the harp or maybe 
even the Auto-Harp.

However, if you grow fond of the sound of the harmonica with the lap-harp, 
then you can move on to more sophisticated instruments. An Auto-Harp and a 
Hands-Free-Chromatic harmonica on a neck rack would enable you to play a 
vastly larger set of tunes having accidentals and more complex chord 
sequences with a much larger (but still limited) set of chords.   Then 
replacing the Auto-Harp with a guitar would remove all limitations.

Vern
Visit my harmonica website www.Hands-Free-Chromatic.7p.com