Re: [Harp-L] Highlander tremolo harp

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Steve Shaw" wrote:
<I'm so used to playing "third position tunes" on standard harps.  
<A Dorian on G harps, E Dorian on D harps (though not many of those), etc.  Playing 
<Dorian in second position would be yet another learning curve for this 
<ageing untutored hairy-arse (sorry!! :-)).

Well, that's yer problem, man!  Stop playing the thing with yer hairy arse!  

Seriously, you would be surprised how quickly you go up the learning curve on a Dorian tuning (Richter with flat draw 3 and flat draw 7).   All the scale tones are in the same place on the harp, in every position.  The only difference is that one scale tone is now flat instead of natural.  The chords are big and beautiful.  It sounds great in first position (try "Tequila" on this harp in 1st position), second position (try Little Walter's "Too Late" with this tuning), 3rd position (check out "Put The Lever Down" at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter), and even 5th position (it's a very spooky vibe, but it's also a very strong vibe).  

As per most of the altered tunings I use (Dorian/Natural Minor/Country), which are really just variations on the Richter tuning (as opposed to some of the very radically altered stuff Pat Missin lists at his site), my main recommendation is to start by playing the same things you play on a standard harp.  After a very little while, your ear will know where the altered scale tones are, and you can start playing things that uniquely fit the tuning.  

Good luck and enjoy, regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com
Latest MP3s always at http://www.broadjam.com/rhunter