Re: [Harp-L] First serious foray into tuning questions

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

Perhaps there is no definitive ONE ANSWER to these questions. As in life,  
so much is subjective to the orientation of the one observing (or  
participating).
 
One of the wisest sentences I ever read regarding THE TRUTH - "No one knows 
 what you think they do".
 
In my case, I don't "stretch tune" my harmonicas. I go for beat less  
octaves whenever possible. Since I breathe the harmonica rather than suck and  
blow, my notes tend to NOT go flat during performance. However, beat less  
octaves do not yield to me the William Clarke FAT octave sound, but then, I'm  
not that type of player.
 
 
In a message dated 2/28/2010 9:16:42 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
captron100@xxxxxxx writes:




Michael wrote that he had broken a few reeds and  asked advice on how 
better to tune. He also asked about stretching the  
octaves to make chords sound better.  He said: I have been studying  
Sleigh's manual........as per Richard's 
instruction, I am tuning the  higher note of an octave combination a hair 
sharper than the lower octave  note. 
To which Jim Gordon replied: When tuning octaves it is the  lower pitched 
reed that should be slightly sharper than 
the higher reed,  not the other way around as you say. ......snip......the 
octaves it is the  lower reed that is more 
likely to have the pitch depressed when playing  octaves.



I realize i must have been misinterpreting  Jim's advice.  At first Jim's 
reply seemed to contain conflicting  statements -- 
first that the lower note needs to be sharper, than that it  needs to be 
lower (depressed.  After many readings, i finally
deduce  that Jim meant that when PLAYING octaves, the lower note tends to  
flatten.
I also own Richard's Turbocharge Your Harmonica book and  without looking, 
I seem to 
remember Richard saying what Michael said (that  u tune a little higher as 
you go up the harp). Also, at the very beginning  
of Richard's You Tube video, "How to Tune Harmonicas", Lesson 1.2
(  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkFKbHNngNs&feature=PlayList&p=8AFC5374E50E7A09&index=1  ), Richard says that the 
higher notes get tuned a little higher.  Am  i wrong?  So which is it?  
ron - FL  Keys