Re: [Harp-L] re: so you want to be a harp player


On Jul 15, 2007, at 10:19 PM, Rick Dempster wrote:

Sorry Joe; I know you already explained it, but what is 'double country'
or 'smoky' tuning?

Hi, I may not have been the first to do it, but back in Sep 59, I changed a reed and went and tuned the wrong one. I LIKED it. A week later, I tuned another higher reed to match. So here it is:

1.. the 5th draw is taken UP a semi-tone (NOT a full..just sharp it) THIS is country tuning.
2.. (optional) the 9th draw is taken UP a semi-tone (same pitch higher octave) This is double country
3.. A wind saver is placed on the #5 DRAW (inside) so the the #5 BLOW can be blown DOWN a semi-tone.

a.. All 3 = smokey tuning. Today we have the paddy richter which seems as good if not better.
b.. Sometimes it's not advantageous to tune the #9 because you loose that flat that you 'might' need up at the high end.
c.. What I do is substitute a 'Piccolo' or 'Vest Pocket' harp (sometimes) so that I get the high notes without loosing the benefit of the lower PATTERN. In other words, it's MY lazy way of not having to deal with the complete change in the upper pattern (where the HIGHER notes wind up BEFORE the LOWER notes. That drives me crazy.

I can do it if the tune is slow. Example: Jimmy Reed's rendition of 'Honest I Do'. In which case, I sure do love to start it with that #8 blow bend and lean on it in STRAIGHT position. But if there's speed there, I will switch to a Piccolo.
d.. Placing wind savers on the inside of the draw plate doesn't cause problems because you only use them when you blow a note DOWN. On draw, they let the air through normally. It's almost impossible to hit the blown down notes by mistake as it takes INTENT and some extra pressure.
e.. P.T Gazell has an even BETTER method in which he places NUMEROUS wind savers on his harps. To hear his method is to love it. Oh, yeah, and of course, the kid can play in the first place. THAT always helps lol

hope this clears things up a bit.

smokey-joe..p.s just used 2 harps tuned this way tonight. The medley was: 'Closer Walk With Thee, Indiana, Basin Street, St. Louis Blues, and a spliced Bourbon St. on Parade/Bill Bailey, finishing with Saints go Marching In. It's our usual finale, as we walk through the club in line and play.

I take it this last tag refers to your good self?

Yeah, I was always introverted & shy, but at my age, I don't care any more. I'm taking credit for it. :) (insert laugh trax here)

Would I be right in guessing that it means draw five up a whole tone,

No, using a C harp as a guide, you are going from F to F# (that's technically a semi-tone)

thus making the middle octave almost the same as the first ie draw 5 and
blow 6 the same note I made one of these and think it is probably a lot
more useful than the semitone raised draw 5.

Ok, I 'think' I know what you mean. I could try it.

Then again , I avoid
retuned harps, so I haven't really given it t fair trial.

I only play richter and my tuning. I only do it to certain harps. Right now I have a Bb, C, Db, D, & Eb tuned that way. The rest of the box are richters and if I need something weird, I use a chromo. I'm more of a chromo attempter.

Smokey-Joe


RD




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