[Harp-L] The "Perfect" Fusion of Chromatic and Diatonic?

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxx>]

I have a bias toward the Seydel Circular Tuning. I currently play the 
Blues Session
Circular Tuning diatonics, and have a complete set of all 12 keys. (I 
haven't tried
the low tunings yet.) I love these harps, because there are NO missing 
notes in the
diatonic scale for over two octaves, AND I can get 3-note (at least) 
chords on EVERY
scale degree for over two octaves. Bending is limited to halftone draw 
bends ONLY;
there are NO blow bends. Overblowing for full chromaticism is 
supported, but I don't
use it (so far). The lower octave allows nice bends for the b3, b5, b7 
blues notes.

I just got a Seydel Chromatic Deluxe specially designed at the factory 
with Circular
Tuning. I wanted a chromatic with the EXACT same note and breathing 
patterns as
my diatonics. It cost $136.00 (which included shipping to the USA). 
Delivery time
from order placement to delivery was less than 3 weeks. The price for 
the stock
Seydel Chromatic Deluxe is $89.95 at Coast to Coast Music (not 
including shipping).
So, for the measly additional sum of $46.05, I got a custom designed 
chromatic
harmonica that I  LOVE! Please note that Seydel manufactures these 
special designs;
they do NOT retune an existing harmonica. This is a very tight little 
harp, and it
compares favorably (IMHO) to the ubiquitous Hohner 270. (Yeah, I do 
have one of
them, but I don't like it very much; I prefer the Hohner 280 16-holer.)

I used A=442Hz as the reference pitch, because I wanted a somewhat 
"brighter"
sound. When the slide is OUT, the tuning is IDENTICAL to the stock 
Seydel Blues
Session with Circular Tuning for the Seydel labeled "G" harp. (That 
corresponds to
"C" major.) When the slide is IN, the tuning is IDENTICAL to the stock 
Blues Session
with Circular Tuning for the Seydel labeled "Ab" (G#) harp. (That 
corresponds to
"C#/Db" major.) Because of the nature of Circular Tuning, the range of 
notes is
actually greater than a standard 12-hole chromatic. My special design 
starts on G3,
the G below middle C, and extends up through 3 full octaves of "C" 
major. I wanted
to be able to ascend from the V back up to the lowest I; it's a nice 
little run that's very
useful on the low end. C3 is the lowest starting point that Seydel will 
consider. That
corresponds to the lowest note on a Hohner 280 (the 16-holer).

Because this special chromatic has EXACTLY the same breathing patterns 
as my
diatonics. It makes switching between diatonics and chromatic drop dead 
simple.
I was able to take the chromatic out of the nice box, and play "Someone 
To Watch
Over Me" with no fumbling around. The notes I previously had to bend in 
the bridge
were so easy to get with the slide in! No intonation differences 
between unbent and
bent notes! No switching mental gears when changing from diatonic to 
chromatic
and back again: just play the thing! It seems very intuitive to hit the 
slide button
whenever an accidental is required.

It also means that I have all those nice chords available, which cannot 
be played on a
standard chromatic. The only loss (not a big issue for ME) is that 
octaves CANNOT be
played; because of the nature of Circular Tuning, the breath direction 
switches from
one octave to another. It seems that most players compensate for the 
lack of chords
on the standard chromatic by using octaves for a fuller sound. (Hey! 
That's MY
observation/opinion on using octaves; you're certainly entitled to your 
own.)

The biggest obstacle for most people is that the in/out breathing 
patterns switch from
octave to octave with Circular Tuning. It took me about 4 months to 
totally switch from
standard diatonics to the Circular Tuned diatonics, but I was NOT 
practicing every day.
I could have switched over much sooner, if I had worked at it regularly.

Now my problem is trying to find the funds to buy more of these special 
chromatics!
I'd love to have a complete set in all 12 keys eventually, but that may 
take years, given
that I'm retired and the shekels for my harp addiction are severely 
limited. I have to
thank Mrs. Santa Claus for an early Christmas present!

Just walking along (while playing harp) on another "road less traveled,"
Crazy ("bout Seydel harps) Bob