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



On May 15, 2014, at 4:15 AM, Brendan Power wrote:

> 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.
... 

I'd just like to clarify my point of view on this. I agree with everything Brendan went on to say in his post, although I personally find that alternate tunings are too hard for my brain to adjust to after all these years of playing only solo-tuned chromatic.

The point that I was trying to make was in response to the notion that solo tuning is problematic or illogical. I'm not suggesting that folks shouldn't pursue other tunings or shouldn't master as many as they like. Brendan and others have shown quite convincingly that at least some of us have the capacity to use many different tunings to great advantage and I have the deepest respect for those that do -- Brendan is such a shining example of this!

But I do take issue with the notion that standard tuning is what's holding a player back, or that it would be easier to start out with a tuning that seems (on the face of it) to make more sense. In my opinion, it's all too easy to blame the instrument or its tuning for lack of progress when it tends to be that progress is difficult regardless of tuning, and the player needs to simply hang in there and embrace the instrument and its tuning to get beyond the current blockade, whatever it is. Things about the instrument that seemed to be problematic can turn magically into assets over time -- that's been my experience with solo-tuned chromatic.

There's another angle as well that has to do with what I would call a common vocabulary with respect to standard tunings -- having a standard, whatever it is, can be helpful in teaching and for those who learn by copying. But really, my main point is that I don't think that the great harmonica masters who've chosen to stick with Richter diatonics or Solo chroms have been hampered by their choice. It's their musicality and dedication, not note layout, that make them great.

Regardless of the tuning(s) you choose, focus on the music -- the axe is just a vehicle, it's not making the music.

- Slim.

www.SlideManSlim.com












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