[Harp-L] equal temperament-guitar playing

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Does it make any difference if guitar/harp rack players use a equal temperament harmonica or just?

Most blues harps are just intonation or slight variations while only a few harps are equal tempered (i.e. Golden Melody, Lee Oskar, Suzuki Fabulous, Seydel special factory tuned and some Huangs).

Several years ago, my guitar teacher told be just before my guitar lesson started that his Lee Oskar had gone out of tune and he replaced it with a brand new Special 20 that didn't sound as good. 

(He knew that I was remotely connected to the harmonica either through teaching a Harmonica 101 class at the Community Center in Birmingham, Mich. or my connection with American Harmonica Newsmagazine for 17 years.)

I told him there was an easy explanation why his NEW harmonica (Special 20) sounded different than the Lee Oskar: the Oskar was equal temperament and the Special 20 was just intonation -- two different forms of intonation. This guy had a degree with an Englilsh major and guitar performance minor -- so I suspect his understanding of music was slightly higher than the average self-taught guitarist.

But in the real world, does it really make any difference what kind harp a rack player uses with his harp?


If all of this is Greek to you, check out Pat Missin's page 

<http://www.patmissin.com/tunings/audio.html>