Re: [Harp-L] Re: Jerome's post on Special Tuning Questions

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

martin oldsberg writes:
> Steve Baker wrote about country tuning (CT):
> "I've been using this tuning regularly for nearly 25 years and don't understand why it  
> isn't far more popular than is." <clippage>
>
>   I own two or three CT tuned harps and I´m a bit bewildered why I don´t use them more, but it could be some perverse notion of Richter puritanism (if that´s what it is). So instead of grabbing a CT I tend to go for alternative positions -- which may have its secondary advantages in forcing you to avoid your most tiresome clichées. <more clippage>
Interesting point, Martin, as I feel precisely the same way about 
several minor-tuned harps that I went to a lot of trouble to make up. I 
took Pat Missin's advice and use powdered brass mixed with epoxy as an 
alternative to solder to weight the reed tips. Took a lot of searching 
to find brass powder, fer sure, but I've used it several times for other 
tuning jobs since (works great, and easy to remove if you change your mind.)

More to the point, I never seem to reach for these minor-tuned harps in 
a playing situation; I go for 3rd position on a regular Richter harp. 
Why I'm not sure, as they are great for playing minor keyed melodies. I 
guess I too suffer from "Richter puritanisim." I often catch myself 
thinking that if Deford, Sonny, the Walters and the rest made their 
beautiful music with off the shelf tuning, so should I.

But all this talk of country tuning has me convinced that I better try 
it out. Players of the caliber of Smokey Joe, Charlie McCoy and Steve 
Baker can't all be wrong!

Michelle