[Harp-L] Re: History of harp tuning; Chrom Tuning

["Brendan Power" <bren@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting thread. Although I’m firmly in the camp of the alt-tuning
advocates, I can appreciate what Slim says also, when he suggests stick with
one tuning and master it.



Richter and Solo are very good tunings in their own right, and worthy of the
long-term study they have received over the decades. However, it’s
important to remember they are not intrinsically ‘special’ in any way.
They are simply arbitrary historical choices made by harmonica manufacturers
out of an infinite range of possibilities for the sake of manufacturing
simplicity and commercial gain.



But now, with the spread of knowledge amongst players about how to retune
their own harps, and Seydel’s excellent Configurator system for those who
want the alt-tunings done for them, the way is more open for experimenters
to explore alternate layouts freely. That can only be a good thing for the
instrument in general, I think.



I’ve been making up my own alt tunings for diatonics and chromatics since
1980, and find them really useful in a couple of ways:



1.     Specialist harps for particular ethnic folk styles (eg. Irish,
Bulgarian or Chinese), give you a more ‘authentic’ sound. By configuring
the harmonica to suit the style’s idiosyncratic features, you can play it
on the harmonica in a way that is much closer to the indigenous or common
instruments for that style. This is really satisfying, and it makes the
music easier to play into the bargain. Paddy Richter, the Slide Diatonic, my
two-key D/G Irish Session Harp (that Seydel has now copied in its Sampler
model) are the ones I’ve created for Irish music, and I’ve also made
specialist Bulgarian and Chinese harmonicas to catch their stylistic



2.     I’ve created several tunings for easier improvisation in a range of
styles: PowerBlow, PowerDraw, PowerBender, PowerChromatic are the best
known, but there have been lots more in between along the way. These all
give more useful interactive-reed bending expression than Richter or Solo.
In the case of the chromatic models they give the player what I call ‘Bend
Enharmonics’, which are extra note choices. These can make it much easier
to play difficult phrases, along with the increase in expression.



I think we’re entering into a very interesting period in harmonica
evolution, where there are a lot more options available to players and “100
Flowers Bloom”. In a way it’s a throwback to the very early years of
harmonica development in the 19th century, before things got set in just a
few basic models and tunings (Richter on the 10 hole diatonic and Solo on
the chromatic). That restricted diet worked for a the 20th Century because
people didn’t know of anything else), but now the way is opening up for a
much richer range of sound colours to come out of the instrument.



It could be via enhanced versions of the traditional tunings. These are
techniques or new construction layouts that allow the player to stick with
the entrenched tunings but get far more out of them. Some examples are
overbending, half-valving (which I first introduced in 1980), addition of
x-reeds (of which I was an independent co-inventor), and Jim Antaki’s
TurboSlide.



Alongside these enhancements are alternate tunings and completely new
harmonica types. Vern’s Hands-Free Chromatic, Winslow’s Discrete Comb and
my all-draw Chinese harmonica are a few examples. There are many more
possibilities, which we will see come into the market in the next 10 years.
The spread of knowledge via the internet and easy availability of affordable
CAD/CNC equipment will lead to a real flowering of new harmonica designs
from small independent makers, I’m quite sure. The harmonica is the most
‘hackable’ instrument I can think of. We should celebrate that!



We are lucky to be around at this exciting time for the harmonica. Of course
only a small percentage of the alternate approaches will gain traction and
it will take a long time for any of them to rival the old tunings and types.
This is because they are so entrenched, and the manufacturers and existing
players/customisers have so much invested in them. But it will happen, I’m
quite sure. For example, once initial development problems are overcome and
prices fall, I’m convinced the x-reed type will eventually come to
prominence in every sphere - simply because it is so much more expressive
than traditional types.



But that’s just my opinion, and many will disagree. We’ll have to wait and
see.



Brendan Power

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