[Harp-L] chords and intonations

[Jonathan Ross <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Kevin asks about just intonation and equal temperament in terms of  
the harmonica.  As usual, I'd suggest going to the harp-l archives  
and doing a search for just intonation, equal temperament and so  
forth--there's a lot of great information in the archives.

Try this to start with:

http://harp-l.org/mailman/htdig/harp-l/2003-August/msg00234.html

Now, for specific answers to questions...


Kevin writes:

"Is equal like what Bach did
with the piano tuning when he wrote the
"Well Tempered Clavier"....."


Maybe.  What system Bach was composing for is very much up for debate  
(a heated debate at that).  In some ways the main point is that any  
temperament (equal or not) is a means to try and make all the notes  
possible on an instrument sound best together in as many combinations  
as possible.  Equal temperament (any, but the most common and the one  
we are talking about with regards to factory harmonica tunings is 12- 
tone-equal-temperament, ie, twelve notes per octave--12tet) is one  
way to do this, one in which no key is given more weight than any  
other.  There are other systems, though, and it is as possible as not  
Bach wrote the Well Tempered Clavier for one of those (more possible,  
IMO--but that's my opinion, and in terms of scholarship it's  
certainly not decided).

Just to be pedantic, Bach was not composing for piano for the most  
part.  The harpsichord and clavichord were much more popular and  
prominent stringed keyboard instruments in his day than the (very new  
at the time) piano, and an instruction book like the WTC would  
probably have mostly been aimed at the clavichord.  But, the pieces  
work well on most any keyboard.



Kevin again:

"There is a Richter tuning also."


A misnomer, IMO.  "Richter tuning" really tends to mean the physical  
layout of the instrument rather than the specific layout of the  
notes.  Thus, a Richter diatonic is one which has a single comb with  
blow notes on a plate and draw notes on another, with the comb  
defining cells with one blow and one draw note.  This is to  
differentiate from the Weiner system or the Knittlinger system found  
primarily in tremolo and octave harmonicas.  Basically, Richter  
properly refers to the construction rather than the tuning, per se.   
Indeed, even Minor tuned or Spiral tuned diatonic harmonicas can be  
thought of as being "Richter tuned", IMO.

I tend to use "German Major diatonic" for the most common harmonica  
tuning simply because it is a tuning also found on other diatonic  
instruments which originated in Germany at about the same time  
(harmonicas, accordions, concertinae, etc...).


Kevin asks:

"What is the best tuning for chords?"


None.  It all depends on the context.  For the most part, chords  
sound more harmonious in a simpler just intonation, especially if  
there are only a few notes in the chord (triads and such).  However,  
this may not be what you want all the time.  It all depends on the  
sound desired for the instrument and the piece of music.

I'd also recommend Pat Missin's website and links in general on this  
subject for more information than I can supply:


http://www.patmissin.com/


Hope this helps.




 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'