Re: [Harp-L] Any clear advantages between low Steve Baker Special and Powerbender tuning on a 10-hole?

[John Kerkhoven <solo_danswer@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I’ve been experimenting with / exploring both the Powerbender and what Seydel calls its Solist Pro low oktave: extra low octave on a regular harp.

I think they’re two different kinds of diatonic harps and don’t think of one being better than the other. They have their respective strengths. 

The PowerBender exploits the draw-bending possibilities of the diatonic harmonica, giving expressive possibilities in the upper two octaves that are not achievable on the standard Richter-tuned harp. (But then the standard Richter-tuned harp has its advantages over the PB.) I find it forces a different breathing discipline on me because I tend to play more draw notes than on a standard diatonic harp. 

The Seydel low oktave solist pro is trickier to play, I have found, than I would have thought, re-working my mental model of the harp, but heaps of fun. Big fat low chords. Hitting those low bends is a workout, but all the bends are possible. 

I like ‘em both.

John


> Hey, folks!
> 
> I've been using mostly standard Richter tuning for years, but i
> recently was looking at various tunings, and thought about getting a
> fancier harp than the Hohners I've been playing for years.
> 
> I was looking at the Seydel site, and a side search took me to the
> Powerbender, and then the Turboslide (ingenious, incidentally), and to
> the world of different tunings besides Richter and Country that I've
> used. Things sure have changed a lot since I first got into it!
> 
> I had been considering getting a harp configured with Steve Baker
> Special all the way up (repeating the bottom three Richter holes 3 &
> 1/3 times). I think I've seen this referred to as Low SBS tuning.
> 
> Given that the repeating Richter low end is regular across the harp,
> is there a great advantage to Powerbender tuning, which is not
> repeating progression?
> 
> I did a search of the archives, but never really found a discussion
> comparing the two. It's possible that no one has actually considered
> the two against each other, but I'm interested in hearing from anyone
> who spent time with the idea. Anyone who deliberately chose one over
> the other after trying both?