Re: [Harp-L] Tuning

["Mark Lavoie" <lavoie@xxxxxxxxx>]

Steve,
That's a great point!

When I tune, I have a refference point on my tuner, that puts me in the 
ZONE. Then I use my ears to hear the Just Chords I am looking for, and then 
make sure the ocatves and single notes are spot on
.
The Attack I use is what I call Babies Breath, or Soft Wind. The harmonica 
needs to have the reeds set up correctly, so you can use this soft attack. 
Once every thing is in place, it is amazing how LOUD the volume can be, and 
how Low the volume can be, with this Soft Attack. The Harmonica will stay in 
Tune for a very long time.

Check out the Delta Groove link below to view the Artist page on, American 
blues roots duo Bill Sims Jr. and Mark LaVoie. Then click on  More Info. 
There are audio sound samples on all 13 songs from our CD that Delta Groove 
is putting up on iTunes, plus a review from Seven Days, and a review from 
Big City Blues on the Detlta Groove's Music link. Scroll down to read the 
review.

Looking forward to your comments.
Mark

Stay tuned!
Mark LaVoie

Mark Lavoie
4849 Bristol Rd
Bristol, VT  05443

802-236-5665
http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com/music/artists/billsimmarlavoie/main.html
www.myspace.com/theharmonicaman
www.middlebury.net/lavoie
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Baker" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Harp-L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 6:50 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Tuning


> Something which doesn't appear to have been mentioned in the  discussion 
> on tuning is the intonation with which notes to be tuned  are played. In 
> my experience, different players intone at quite  widely varying pitches, 
> whether when playing "normally" or when  tuning. This can lead to 
> different players arriving at very different  results even when using the 
> same tuning system. Reed pitch is not  absolute and can perhaps best be 
> viewed as a continuum between the  highest and lowest possible note which 
> the single closing reed can  produce. In my opinion the best way to tune 
> accurately is to try to  get as close to the "ceiling" or highest possible 
> pitch as you can  and tune that, as it is pretty much a constant. I do 
> this by playing  the reed with the lowest possible air pressure with which 
> it can  sound properly and even let some air pass between lips and harp in 
> order to minimize the pressure difference. This means you are of 
> necessity playing extremely quietly when tuning. However, your  playing 
> intonation will to a greater or lesser degree be lower than  this pitch, 
> so you need to tune considerably higher than you actually  want your 
> harmonica to sound when using this method. You also need to  be able to 
> accurately assess the degree to which your playing  intonation differs 
> from your tuning intonation. In the chapter on  tuning in the Harp 
> Handbook is a table showing my preferences for  reaching a compromise just 
> tuning which will sound at just over  A=440Hz when I play it.
>
> Of course you can tune using medium air pressure/intonation, which  may 
> work for you personally, but if you're tuning harps for other  players you 
> can end up with results which differ considerably from  the pitch that 
> they wanted. I have had this experience with custom  harmonicas from 
> different sources on several occasions. It seems to  me that the margin 
> for error here is often greater than the tiny  increments which can be 
> measured by strobe tuners.
>
> Steve
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