Re: [Harp-L] Re: What about a repertoire for the Melody Maker

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

fjm wrote:

<The Melody Maker tuning is my least favourite of the alternate tunings.
<  For years it just confused the heck out of me.  what do I do with
<this?  I recently decided to try playing Somewhere Over the Rainbow
<using the melody maker tuning and I really like it.  It took me a bit <to
<wrap my mind around it.  Noodling with the tuning got me nowhere.  It
<wasn't until I had a specific melody I wanted to play that I knew would
<work with the tuning that I actually figured out how to play one of
<these harmonicas.

One thing that should be noted about the Melody Maker (and Natural and 
Dorian Minors, too) is that it produces big, beautiful chords -- much 
more openly beautiful than the relatively harsh dominant seventh and 
bland major triads that you get on a standard diatonic.

A Melody Maker will produce full major and minor seventh chords as well 
as triads on multiple scale tones, in multiple octaves.  It's very nice.

If you're just used to playing standard diatonics, it may not be obvious 
that you'll get such a beautiful sound when you put 3-4 holes' worth of 
harp in your mouth.  If you try it, you'll find a lot of new harp sounds 
that are as easy as breathing.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com