Re: [Harp-L] Another two cents on Harmonica Tunings

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I am positively LOVING this thread to death. 

On May 17, 2014, at 6:07 AM, Tony Eyers wrote:

> Many great threads on this. My two cents worth follows.
> 
> I've been using alternate tunings for around 15 years. I was inspired by button accordion players, Brendan Power's "New Irish Harmonica", and above all, a burning desire to play bluegrass fiddle tunes as well as the best Australian players. Why? So I could join with them in the jams at Bluegrass Festivals.

My hero Tony Eyers mentions something that has piqued my interest. In the last 15 years of reading the list, I have noticed something. And I need to be corrected because I am probably wrong. Seems like running along with altered tunings comes the occasional use of the word 'Celtic or bluegrass music'. Yes, I can see that to play it it might be easier (or make more sense) to use an altered tuning. Maybe the same goes for Bulgarian, Gypsy, Klezmer, etc? I don't know. But I don't know a lot of people whom play this stuff, so maybe that's why sales of altered tunings are low? Am I missing something? 
> 
> In short, I was on a mission. I had a Eureka moment at the 1998 National Folk Festival, while watching the button accordion players. They were essentially playing hand operated harmonicas, without worrying about bends for particular notes. Why not try the same for real harmonicas?

Good point. Although I think the main stumbling block for harmonicas is the breath switching. Given everything else being equal, i.e. same quality of construction, the return spring doesn't seem to be an issue, but in an accordion, a key model will never be as fast as a button model. Why? The span of the hand. Even with good springs. A key needs leverage, a button a direct 'punch'.  
> 
> The result was Major Cross tuning. The idea is to tune a harmonica so that second position plays major scale notes only. No bends, meaning that you can move MUCH faster. Seven notes are changed in all, the idea is closely related to the Lee Oskar Melody Maker tuning. The result has defined my style, you can hear it at http://www.harmonicatunes.com/retuned Along with more details on Major Cross.
> 
> I should add that I practiced my b#!@m off with Major Cross until I could play the tunes the way I wanted. This included a decade of weekly 3 hour busking sessions, with Band in a Box backings, cranked up as each year passed.

This is good. This is very good. And while I'm on the subject, my hero Slideman Slim mentions different patterns for different keys. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. A person using individually tuned chromatics which match the keys of the tunes they are playing can get you to where the same sets of note riffs keep appearing and that can get old. But another way to get around that..and why I like solo tuning in the first place, is that one can pick a tune in one key, and play it on ANY tuning of chromatic. And you can get a different set of sounds. Mainly because the fingering is different in different keys. The breath switching is different. The HOLE switching is different.  

Comparing harmonicas to other instruments leads one down an ever diminishing path of parameters. You can't use trumpet fingerings on a chromatic. You can't use clarinet fingerings on a guitar. But consider this. One could play a song in C ON a C chromatic. You could also play it in C on a Bb chromatic (by fingering D scale), or in C on an F chromatic (using G scale pattern), or C on a G chromatic (using F scale), or or or. Because of timbre and having draw notes where blow notes WERE, and vice versa, the resultant sounds heard would differ.  
> 
> So. After a longish introduction (ahem), my two cents worth is:

You're always a source of good skinny. And a post I always gravitate to with great interest. 
> 
> - alternate tunings make sense when they ease the path to music which you deeply yearn to play

Agreed. Wholeheartedly. 

> - nothing replaces standard Richter tuning. I always carry a set of high quality Richter harmonicas, they are my first choice in many situations
> - the Major Cross harmonicas are truly excellent for tunes, and truly ordinary for blues

I generally prefer a tuning similar to major cross. But remember, I am not an advanced player. And certainly not in the difficulties of Celtic nor bluegrass styles. 

> - alternate tunings (Major Cross in my case) fit specific purposes, standard Richter tuning fills the rest.

Same here. I play various keyed chromatics in various keys (almost NEVER in the key they are tuned). Slightly altered for everything else. 
> 
> Hence I carry two sets of diatonics. Richter tuned and Major Cross.

I carry a set of Richters and half a set of my own tuning. 
> 
> PS the good bluegrass players now let me join in

I 'have' played bluegrass. But being of Italian & Polish extraction, it isn't in my genetic makeup  lolol   :)

smokey-joe
> 
> Tony Eyers
> Australia
> www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
> ...everyone plays