RE: [Harp-L] Paddy Richter Tuning

"Aongus MacCana" <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx> · Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:46:05 -0000

Hi Ken,
Thank you very much for this kind encouragement. I am pretty sure that
Seydel make the 12 hole Solist in solo tuned version, because I have a hazy
memory of a review of it in the Seydel Newsletter and they even gave music
clips illustrating the different tunings. If I can recover the link I will
send it to you. No doubt Rupert Oysler would be able to tell us whether they
do or not. When I had the good fortune to meet Igor Flach, Seydel's "Man in
Berlin" a month or two ago he gave me to understand that Seydel can supply
any tuning you want and usually not at a huge premium. The snag with the 12
hole Solist as I remember was that it only came in C. Perhaps I could
persuade them to supply me with one in G or D "at a modest premium".
Thanks for that tip about Lee Oskars. I shall invest in a pair as you
suggest at the earliest opportunity. Unfortunately my wife has taken to all
but frisking me every time  I come out of the music store, as she can't
figure out how one man can never seem to have enough harmonicas.
Yes I have Rupert Oyslers DVD - It is a must have! Sadly all I am short of
is actually doing it.
Beannachtaí
Aongus

-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Hildebrand [mailto:airmojoken@xxxxxxxxx]
Sent: 28 January 2008 14:33
To: Ken Hildebrand; Aongus MacCana; Harp-L List
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Paddy Richter Tuning

Oops...

I should have said the MM will now be a country-tuned
harp and the regular major tuned harp will be the
paddy richter tuned harp.

Ken H in OH

--- Ken Hildebrand <airmojoken@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi Anogus,
>
> The Seydel 12 hole Solist is NOT solo tuned.  It
> would
> have to be re-tuned to be so.
>
> Its a shorter version of the Hohner Steve Baker
> Special (SBS-365), where the holes 1-3 are like a
> regular 10-hole diatonic holes 1-3 only lower in
> patch, then the remaing holes (4-12 on the Seydel)
> are
> like the holes 1-9 on a regular 10-hole diatonic.
>
> Its a cool diatonic harp, but made for blues-type
> music.
>
> I have retuned several harps to Paddy Richter, and
> replaced reeds. I also screwed up a few, but that
> seems to be part of the learning process.
>
> Experts like Rick Epping have worked on countless
> harmonicas over the years, so they naturally make it
> look very easy.
> The main thing is to be patient and not be in a
> hurry,
> and also have the right tools and space to work
> (clean
> workbench and good lighting always help!).  Also
> recognize when you are getting tired or frustrated
> and
> stop working on it until you have taken a break
> (even
> if its an hour, days, or weeks between starting
> again).
>
> Get Rupert Oysler's Harmonica Repair DVD if you do
> not
> already have it.  I'm always going back to it for
> reference, because often months go by in between my
> harmonica projects.  Its available at:
>
> http://www.harprepair.com/
>
> Use your old harps or buy some of those inexpensive
> harps (like the Blue Steel, Piedmonts, etc) to try
> re-tuning, embossing, gapping etc.  Most if not all
> should have screws attaching the reed-plates to the
> comb which always helps (much better then my old
> Special 20's and Golden Melodies with nails/brads!).
>
>
> Without retuning reeds, you can get both a Paddy
> Richter harp and a Country-tuned harp by buying a
> Lee
> Oskar Major tuned and a Lee Oskar Melody Maker and
> switching the top reed plates.
>
> The MM harp will now be a Paddy Richter and the the
> regular major richter harp will now be a
> country-tuned
> harp.
>
> So buy a regular major tuned LO in key of G, and a
> LO
> melody maker in key of D (labeled in 2nd position),
> and switch the top reed plates.
>
>
> Learning to bend just takes practice--we've all been
> there, and most, including myself, need to always
> practice getting these bends to be the best
> possible.
> Try a different embouchure if you are having
> problems... lip blocking or puckering is usually
> always easier than tongue blocking (for me at
> least).
>
> Playing harmonicas is suppose to be about having
> fun,
> and if gets frustrating or seems too hard most
> people
> will give up, and you do NOT want to do give up...
> you
> want to make music and enjoy it !
>
> Ken H in OH
>
> --- Aongus MacCana <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > The late FR Farrell is alleged to have said: "If
> you
> > can't  fix your own
> > harmonica you can't afford to play one" I know
> what
> > he meant, but somehow
> > cannot bring myself to attack a mouth organ with
> > "extreme prejudice" except
> > as a last resort. Too many tinplate toys
> dismantled
> > beyond repair in my
> > youth I guess.
> > At Willie Clancy last year I saw Rick Epping
> "Paddy
> > Richterise" a harmonica
> > for one of the students in a matter of minutes
> with
> > the minimum of equipment
> > so I know it can be done. (I have heard Ronald
> > Chesney play The Flight of
> > the Bumble Bee on a C Chromatic, so I know that
> that
> > can be done too
> > although I have never got much past the second
> bar!)
> > My weapon of choice for Irish music is a G
> Chromatic
> > (Which I realise is a
> > very "cissie" way of getting the necessary notes)I
> > am beginning to wonder
> > whether the Seydel 12 hole Solist -  solo tuned -
> > might not be a more cost
> > effective alternative - if it was available in G
> and
> > if I could only learn
> > how to bend?
> > Aongus Mac Cana
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
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> >
>
>
>
>
>
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