[Harp-L] Re: Why Richter

[Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In my opinion Richter's idea was a stroke of genius and no other  
harmonica tuning comes close in terms of simplicity and elegance. Of  
course it has a great history and we're all familiar with the tonal  
layout, but the standard Richter tuning can be used for so many  
different styles of music and is simply the most flexible note  
arrangement which the 10-hole can accomodate. The chords and tongue- 
blocked intervals make it much more fun for me than for example  
circular or diminished tuning. The way the overblows provide all the  
missing notes is nothing short of fabulous.

I see all the other tunings I use myself as simply variations on  
Richter. I don't have a problem using overblows, but sometimes things  
work better with an altered tuning than with OBs. All the same,  
Richter is the mother lode for me,

Steve Baker
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com