Re: [Harp-L] Just Intonation for Blues?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Bob Laughlin <rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: As far as tuning is concerned, relating to the "A442", or the "A443"
standard, wouldn't that be a question of which reed one is tuning? Don't
some reeds, particularly the draw reeds go flatter than others when played?
I would hazard a guess that the amount of "sharpness adjustment" would be
unique to each reed, wouldn't it?

That's doing it the hard way.

First, set the reference pitch level on your tuner: A440, A442, A448, whatever. Must tuning meters can be set to some range between about 438 and 444.

Then you can set each reed as a deviation above or below that in cents - this reed +2 cents, that one -16, etc. This way you just look at the meter needle or readout instead of re-setting your tuning meter each time you play a different reed.
I've never tried tuning my reeds, but one day I believe I'll give it a try.
I did a comparison today between a well-used Lee Oskar C harp and a somewhat
newer and less-used Golden Melody C. It seemed that most notes were similar,
but some were perceivably flatter than others on the the Oskar, relative to
the GM. Is this probably due to a different tuning, i.e., Just Intonation
vs. Equal Temperament, or just because the Oskar has been used more.
Both Oskars and Golden Melody models are tuned to equal temperament. Any variation will be due to one of two things:

1. Some reeds on the Oskar have gone flat with playing

2. The Oskar and the GM may be tuned equal, but to different pitch references - one might be A443 and the other A440, for instance.
And more to the point, where is there a list of harps that are done in JI,
vs. one of harps done in ET? Where can that info be found?
It isn't simply a matter of Equal and Just. Almost no harps nowadays are tuned to pure 7-limit just. Some are tuned to 19-limit just, or to compromise tunings that tweak tuning to sound good without following any single principle.

Pat Missin's site (www.patmissin.com) may list some of the tuning standards for some models of harp. Beyond that, you probably have to root around on manufacturers' websites, comb the harp-l archives, or someone may chime in on this thread with a comprehensive list.

Winslow

       
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