Re: [Harp-L] Turning Richter into soloist -- try a Melody Maker

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Without knowing your motivation, it is difficult to comment on the 
achievement. 

* If you want to use your workshop and gain some experience in tuning reeds 
(good idea -- and will save you money). 

* Use up some old Richter tuned harps that you consider useless. 

*Create a unique tuning. 

* Maybe you have more time than money. You can buy really cheap (probably 
under $5) harmonicas from the Internet music stores in a variety of keys and keep 
yourself busy for several weeks.

But mostly, it sounds like you have just reinvented the Lee Oskar Melody 
Maker, which is available in five keys C-A-G-E-D and will play two octaves -- with 
no bends needed, starting on No. 2 Draw. They cost $23.95 from <
coast2coastmusic.com>. 

However, if you'd rather play than tinker, just buy the 5 Lee Oskar Melody 
Maker harmonicas, watch your mailbox and start playing.

There may be a few diatonic 12-hole solo tuned harps around. I own a Huang 
Cadet in C -- but I think it is out of production. Nice, small (a bit longer 
than a 10-hole) but considerably thinner and shallower than the standard button 
chrome.

The Hering Master Solo Harmonica -- 12-solo tuned diatonic is $20.65 at 
coast2coastmusic.com
It has valves or windsavers on first five holes. It costs about twice what 
the Cadet used to cost.

The problem with the home-made solo-tuned diatonic you propose is that it is 
impractical because in order to play it the player has to learn a new set of 
note patterns. I would suggest that this is even 
more difficult that dealing with the "missing notes" F and A.

The other thing is that even after you get done (or purchase a commercial 
solo-tuned diatonic) you have an instrument that you can do much with because of 
its note limitation. Really simple folk songs and early Americana. 

But you can already play all those songs starting on hole No. 4 on the 
Richter tuned harp. And if all you want to play is folk songs or camp fire ditties, 
spend a few minutes and learn to bend the two "missing notes" F and A in the 
first octave if you want to avoid the "tweaky" high pitched upper octave. I 
used to teach beginning harmonica with a Richter diatonic and as I recall most of 
the songs fit nicely on the 10-hole harp.    

The solo-tuned diatonic is often used as a trainer for those who are 
interested in graduating to the full blown chromatic but don't want to spend big buck 
right out of the box just to find out whether they like the instrument.

I have no fiscal connection with Coast2coast; I have purchased harmonicas 
from them in the past as well as most other Internet dealers. 

Phil Lloyd

In a message dated 10/19/06 1:50:34 PM, hqr@xxxxxxx writes:
> Hi-
> 'Scuse my inquiry-
> I dislike not having all the major scale notes as "given", and so keep
> retuning Richters-has anyone tried this tuning for short harp, to convert it
> to a "short Soloist"?
> Say in C . . .
> Raise the first three blow holes to E, G, C and the first two draw holes to
> F, A.
> Then on top, lower blow holes 8 and 9 to C and E, and lower draw hole 10 to
> G.
> This gives you a good solid two octaves of do re mi (with a smidge on the
> bottom and a high tonic note).
> This would likely be crap for blues.
> Your thoughts?
> Gary
> Currently turning 14 hole Marine Bands into major cross instruments
> In my quest for the perfect tuning
> 
> 
>