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

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On May 17, 2014, at 11:13 AM, Slim Heilpern wrote:
>  If I were starting from scratch, knowing what I know now, I would probably still start with solo, because I'd want to be able to copy from the masters, most of whom play solo tuning.

Right. There is nothing more frustrating than hearing something, trying to do it, and not getting it. Not because you don't have the talent, but because it can't be done...as heard. 

> I'd want to be able to play an off-the-shelf axe.

Right. There is nothing more frustrating than having a chromatic go down, and then having to wait 5 months for a replacement. Maybe from another continent. When Shapio's music store is right down the street.  

> And I'd want to know that the things I've heard the masters play can actually be done on my instrument too

Right. See paragraph 1. 

> -- without knowing that, I might not have the confidence to feel I could do it too with enough practice.

Right. And so the word frustration appears. 

> It's the inertia thing, and it's questionable whether that's worth fighting against.

As I always say, to wit: 'Why row up Niagara Falls". 

> But that's just me -

Nooooooooooo, it isn't. 

> - I love hearing others take the plunge into alternate tunings. I think they're brave and I wish them great success in their endeavor.

I respect the bejeezes out of them. And I never amaze to be ceased when they do it. 

jo-zeppi
> 
> - Slim.
> 
> 
> On May 17, 2014, at 3:28 AM, Brendan Power wrote:
> 
>> ...
>> 
>> Slim makes a more interesting point by actually celebrating the fact that
>> you have to learn 12 patterns to play in all keys on Solo tuning, instead of
>> just 3 in Diminished (or even 2 is you half valve and bend to get the
>> necessary notes):
>> 
>> "Another angle on what I'll call the logical tunings (diminished and
>> augmented come to mind), is that the fewer 'fingerings' (for lack of a
>> better term) required to play in all keys, the less variety you'll have when
>> switching keys. With the illogical solo tuning, every key on the chrom is a
>> new world, with different strengths, different usable double-stops and
>> chords, different available ornaments -- that's one of the things I love
>> about it, it's not boring."
>> 
>> That's a clever riposte! Good for masochists, certainly. Taking that logic,
>> I wonder if there was a way to make it even more difficult for you Slim, and
>> therefore presumably more enjoyable ;-) 
> ...