[Harp-L] B-Thing tuning using Blu-Tack ?

[Ken Hildebrand <airmojoken@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've wanted to try out the B-Thing (Carlos del Junco song), also known as the Lee Oskar Blues Tuning (11.21a on Pat Missin's list of alternate tunings).

Ben Bouman has a YouTube video that also demonstrates this tuning using an E harp.

I wanted to first try using Blu-Tack since I bought some several months ago to try it out.

I have an extra E harp to experiment on... I got the 1-blow reed LOWERED 2 semi-tones (from E to D) by adding the BT to the free-end of the reed.

Then came the 1-draw reed which has to be RAISED 3 semi-tones (from F# to A), so I figured I have to put the BT near the rivet-end of the reed, but that doesn't seem to work... looks like I will have to actually remove metal from the reed's free-end to raise the pitch.


So it looks like you can't really add weight to the rivet-end to raise the pitch, and the BT will just help to lower a reed's pitch by using it on the reed's free-end... correct ?


The 7-draw needs to be LOWERED 1 semi-tone (from D# to D), so that should be easy to do.

I have re-tuned harps by removing material from the reed, but never attempted to add weight to a reed... interesting.

Ken H in OH