RE: [Harp-L] Take five

[Blunt White <playharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings - Below is the Take 5 tab (in 3rd position) from a HarpL post in 2006.  Peter Madcat Ruth plays a great version on his CD, Live in Rio, which can be purchased on iTunes.
 
               
Simplifying the melody using a Paddy Richter tuned harp.  You will see many of the notes above are draw bends in hole 3 of between a half step and a whole step (in the tab above that would be -3' and -3'').   PR tuning changes only one note, raising the pitch of +3 to -3''.  
 
PR tuning changes a redundant note (+3 and -2 are the same) into a very useful, but difficult to hit note.  Consider how much easier a blow note is compared to a draw note that is bent a whole step.  The main compromise (in this melody) is losing the full step and a half draw bend in hole 3 (in the tab above -3''', instead just substitute -3'').   
 
A side benefit of PR tuning is that it simplifies playing the "blue" half step draw bent note in hole 3 (-3'), because in PR tuning that note can't be bent any lower than -3'.  Paddy Richter tuning is explained in the link below (Brendan Power invented PR tuning).  Note PR tuning is useful for many single note playing styles (not limited to Irish Celtic). 
 
http://www.brendan-power.com/harmonicas-irish.php
 
All the best,
Blunt White
Stonington, CT USA
 
 

 
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 2016 06:59:02 -0500
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Take five
From: jazzyvenky@xxxxxxxxx
To: playharp@xxxxxxxxxxx

Hi,

Who makes the Paddy Richter harp and what key is this in? Alfred Hirsch has a take on this song and I believe it is an F# or F#m custom harp. Can you please forward me the tabs?

Thank you much. 

Venky
On Jan 7, 2016 3:20 PM, "Blunt White" <playharp@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
It's a good challenge to practice it on a diatonic (yes in 3rd).  To impress yourself play it on a Paddy Richter tuned harp (so much easier, but just for the melody, to play it out with the loss of the triple step draw bend in hole 3 would be a sin).  The tab was posted on HarpL in November 2006, if it's not in the archives I can scan a copy to the List.

All the best,

Blunt White



> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Take five

> From: madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2016 21:47:42 -0500

> To: martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx

> CC: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

>

> Take Five can definitely be played in Eb on a Db diatonic harp (3rd position) without overblows.

> I say this from personal experience - including many years of gigs with Dave Brubeck and Chris Brubeck.  It takes some precise note bending, but no overblows.

>

> Peter Madcat Ruth

> Musician - Grammy Award Winner

> madcat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

> www.madcatmusic.net

> www.youtube.com/user/petermadcatruth

> www.cdbaby.com/Artist/PeterMadcatRuth

>

> > On Jan 6, 2016, at 8:38 AM, martin oldsberg <martinoldsberg@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> >

> >> Take Five can be played on a Db diatonic harp (3rd position vs Eb) without

> >> overblows.

> > Erh, no. The B-section jumps up an octave, requiring an OB -- and, I think, off the cuff, even an OD./Martin

>