[Harp-L] The auntie-chromatic harmonica - & his uncle.....

["mOx" <mox1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The auntie-chromatic harmonica - & his uncle.....
No, but seriously:

Recently Winslow wrote:

>I have no argument with harmonica players who want to extend the
chromatic capabilities of the diatonic instrument. But my personal
interest has taken me in the opposite direction in the last few years.
Instead of emulating instruments with greater chromaticity, I've taken
to looking at instruments with equal or lesser chromaticity and far
more limited range. Good players on these instruments can create
amazing music that is both within the resources of the instrument and
highly idiomatic and convincing.

I'm referring to instruments like:

Bagpipes (9-note diatonic scale)<

My personal experience with this 'strange' instrument was reserved to 2 or 3
times a year playing 'biker' festivals in France where by chance there
always seemed to be a bagpipeist (sp?) ready to jam.

At this period I mainly played with a slide guitarist , whom, with 2 or 3
(or 4 or 5)whiskies (whiskys?), had no problem to 'lean into the wind' where
as my harmonica always sounded either way too flat or a little too much too
sharp.
 (I hope that I'm making sense, it seemed important at the time, hic).

My confusion was eventually clarified when I stumbled upon this text;

>Highland Bagpipe.

The bagpipe intonation supplied with BarFly is that given for the MacDonald
chanter in the book "Bagpipes and Tunings" by Theodor Podnos.
This is an arbitrary tuning - it's the traditional way in which Scottish war
pipes are
tuned, and varies a little from one instrument to another.
Unlike the other intonations, this one is rooted on the key of A (I), and
the pitches will remain the same for tunes in different keys.
The main characteristics are that the C# (III) and F# (VI) are tuned very
flat.
The notes which are not present on the bagpipe chanter are left in equal
temperament.  One other peculiarity of highland bagpipe tuning is that it is
tuned to a different pitch standard to that used by the rest of the musical
world.
 Rather than use the modern concert pitch (A = 440.0) highland pipes use the
older Queen's Hall pitch standard (A = 461.6), which is close to a semitone
sharp of the modern pitch.
(You will occasionally hear it said that the pipes are in Bb for this
reason.)<

[in this situation, harmonica 'A', first position I = 4 blow, III = 5 blow,
VI = 6 draw]

Wherewithal I advise all harmonicists to "Be Prepared"
(quote: Baden Powell - the other one)
Retune a Bb harmonica just a little flat & carry it with you at all times.

So,

Dear Winston,
are you of the same advice?
or does your experience differ?

moX






http://titanicstringband.free.fr/
http://tinyurl.com/kg9ur
http://tinyurl.com/qqpcb

N'imprimez pas ce message si ce n'est pas indispensable