Re: [Harp-L] Tuning Question

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

What sort of a tuner do you use Dave?
RD

>>> David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 8/04/2008 15:48 >>>


Depends....it's personal choice, but this might get you started: 

Just Intonation --- mostly applies if you are a chord player. Some notes are sharp and flat to make chords sound better. The five blow and a couple of other blow notes will be a litttle flat or dead on flat at 444, and everything else is sharp. The flats are EXTREMELY flat at 440... For just intonation, you might be better of with 444. The Hering 1923 is tuned this way, I don't know the reference off hand.  I used to tune harps at 440 JI and loved it. 

Equal temperment--- more even, melody players like it. The Golden Melody is tuned something like EQT. You can go lower with equal temperment, your flats aren't so flat. 441 might be fine. Chromatics are EQT

Compromise Tuning... The tuning of most harps, the flat notes are still flat, but not as flat as just. Harp companies tend to tune pretty sharp so the harps last longer before going out of tune. I think a lot of them are 444 or higher. 


The lower your reference, the shorter the time till retune. I tune mine at 442, JI. Mostly I play stock tuning, but I really like Just Intonation at 440. It just sounds so cool..... 





Dave
_____________________
Dave Payne
Elk River Harmonicas
www.elkriverharmonicas.com 


----- Original Message ----
From: Grant Kester <gkester@xxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Tuesday, April 8, 2008 12:48:01 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Tuning Question

Dear List,

I'm doing some tuning of my diatonics and wondered what advice people  
might have about what hz. to use as the baseline for tuning (440 or  
444hz?). I find both discussed in various books, websites, etc.

Best wishes,
Grant Kester



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