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



Slim Heilpern and Steve Baker make good points. Slim wrote:



“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.”



Very well put! Basically it amounts to “Instead of changing the instrument,
improve yourself”.  I have a lot of respect for the great players of past
and present who have dedicated themselves to the stock harmonicas:
chromatic, diatonic, tremolo or whatever. Masters like Toots Thielemans,
Stevie Wonder and Hugo Diaz have established widely differing but highly
developed styles on the Solo-tuned chromatic, that others emulate and
develop in their own ways. Rice Miller, Little Walter, Charlie McCoy, Howard
Levy & Jason Ricci (among many others) have forged distinctive, attractive
styles on the Richter-tuned 10 hole diatonic.



As Slim says, their recorded work gives new players a ‘common vocabulary’
to learn from. This entrenches the established tunings even more, as it’s
far easier to learn by copying what’s gone before than creating a new
vocabulary on a new tuning.



That word ‘vocabulary’ is very apposite here, as harmonica tunings are
very like languages in some critical ways. The brain gets wired for a
particular note/breath layout over many years of repetition and, just as an
English speaker finds it incredibly difficult to learn Chinese (and vice
versa), so do harmonica players find it really tough to master new tunings.
It’s is indeed like learning a new language.



I’m the same as everyone else in that respect: I don’t find it easy. The
main difference is that I’m crazy or masochistic enough to put myself
through the pain, repeatedly! In terms of my basic harps that I use to gig
with, I’ve been through about four major tuning changes since I started. On
the Diatonic it was Richter to begin with, then my 11-hole Regular Breath
tuning in the 1980s, then PowerBlow 1990-2007, and now PowerBender. On the
chromatic it was Solo, then PowerChromatic from the 1980s. There were lots
of variations within each tuning, or hybrids (eg. PowerDraw), plus
specialist ones like Paddy Richter, Slide Diatonic, Bulgarian, Chinese etc
etc, but the ones above were the main gig tunings.



The main point is that it was a hell of a hassle to switch from one base
tuning to a new one! Not just the retraining of the brain, unlearning lots
of subconscious muscle-memory moves and learning new ones - which took years
in each case. But also creating an entire set of harps in the new tuning -
that took lots of time and expense too. Luckily I could do it myself, but
for the majority of players who can’t it would be even more expensive and
thus a greater barrier to change.



Since Solo and Richter are so entrenched, there is just so much inertia
working against establishing new harmonica tunings. Steve Baker related some
telling statistics about the tiny relative sales of Lee Oskar alternate
tunings, which have been available for many years. That’s the reality, and
there is plenty to celebrate in it, as Slim says.



But to me this monolithic domination of two arbitrary historical harmonica
tunings makes it all the more interesting and attractive to deviate from the
mainstream. And it’s not just out of contrariness: I far prefer my own
original tunings to either Solo or Richter in terms of expressiveness and
utility. They were created much later, with logical note-bending in mind
from the start, throughout the whole range, for contemporary music styles.
And my tunings are only a tiny sample of the many useful ones available on
sites like www.tenhole.com - it’s fascinating to check them out! Spiral and
Diminished are examples of alt tunings that are gaining some traction.



As well as their utility, adopting unique or little-used harmonica tunings
instantly gives you a fresh and personal sound, which is something most
players want. But, despite the obvious advantages of well-conceived new
tunings, I’m happy to accept I’ll always be in a small minority of
alt-tuning harmonica users in my lifetime. I think the community will grow
as the years go by, but it will take decades if not centuries for any
significant challengers to Richter or Solo to emerge in terms of mass
acceptance.



Where I think the real action will come in the next 10-20 years is enhancing
harmonica performance, regardless of the tuning or platform. The extra-reed
(x-reed) concept is very promising in this regard, as it works across
tunings. Ironically, if it becomes popular it will actually serve to
entrench Richter and Solo even more, as it helps overcome their main
deficiencies whilst retaining their benefits. On the Richter 10 hole it
gives the player upper draw bends and lower blow bends, greatly increasing
the kind of soulful, wailing expression that Blues harp players love, as
well as offering a new route to full chromaticism. And I’m sure Slim would
love a Solo-tuned slider chromatic that did everything the stock one can
now, plus had interactive reed bending ability everywhere - Solo on
Steroids!



It’s gonna happen… My bendable Solo-tuned ChromaBender is a first step in
that direction, but there is a lot more development to come in both the
diatonic and chromatic fields. I think we’re on the cusp of a revolution in
harmonica design, which can only be good for everyone - the established
manufacturers, small independent makers and especially: the players. The
next few years are going to be very interesting.



Brendan Power

WEBSITES:  <http://www.brendan-power.com/> www.brendan-power.com ●
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FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/BrendanPowerMusic

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