[Harp-L] tune the higher notes sharper or lower? - Richard Sleigh vs. Pat Missin

[Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Regardless of of the temperament, standard practice is to tune the octaves slightly higher (+2 cents, perhaps).
So, in octave 1, the pitch of the tonic may be "dead on" based on the reference frequency. The next higher
octave will begin +2 cents higher, and so forth.

The idea of tuning the higher notes lower is not really that. Long reeds tend to bend down in pitch more than
higher notes. Consequently, the longer reeds usually are tuned a little higher than reference pitch to compensate
for that effect.

So, the short answer is: both Richard Sleigh and Pat Missin are correct, because they are referencing two different
effects.

HTH,
Crazy (How else would I know THIS?!?) Bob 
> Hi, Vern. Thanks for your reply. But if my question was answered, it escaped me.
> I stated that when tuning a harp for sweet chords Richard Sleigh tempers the 
> tuning by tuning notes a tad higher as he goes up the harp towards the higher 
> notes, whereas a couple of other experts suggested that tuning is done in the 
> opposite manner - tuning down as you go up the harp towards the high notes.
> Let me try to clarify my question: when tuning a harmonica to play sweet chords 
> (just intonation or a compromise tuning), do the higher notes of the octaves get 
> tuned progressively higher or are they tuned progressively lower?
> ron