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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Spiral tuning Position names
Spiral tuning Position names
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dukeofwail
77 posts
Oct 21, 2012
3:42 PM
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Spiral tuning
(Spacing displays correctly in Courier New font)
Blow D F# A C E G B D F# A
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Draw E G B D F# A C E G B
Is this a G Spiral because it has all 8 tones of the complete G Major scale? (See holes 2D through 6B)
Is this first position? Why?
If I called it a D Spiral harp (for 1Blow, as Seydel does), would my G scale then be 11th position? (Referencing Circle of Fifths)
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Robert Hale
Spiral Advocate
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Gnarly
364 posts
Oct 21, 2012
10:47 PM
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Yes, IMHO, and first position because it the notes are G major. Take it from hole 8 if you want a blow note for the tonic.
Spiral can be confusing because the breath direction reverses every octave.
I would not call it D spiral, heck I call it circular, and I don't play straight circular anyway! But I like the idea of using large areas of circular--one of my tunings starts on the major 7th blow, goes circular up to hole 8, where the breath pattern reverses--so it's like Richter from there, but the bottom is circular.
New World tuning
(I reckon spacing appears correct in Courier, Robert is usually right about most things)
Blow F# A C E G B D G B D
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Draw G B D F# A C E F# A C
The Richter portion starts on hole 5, up to hole 10, and is like hole 4 up to hole 9--so no top hole (hole 10 on Richter is not represented).
Last Edited by on Oct 21, 2012 10:51 PM
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Bart Leczycki
67 posts
Dec 20, 2012
2:47 PM
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Hi, I become big fan of spiral tuning ( especially for chords). It's totally new and interesting space for harmonica players.
I call spiral 10 holes harps from 1st blow note.
Why? For me is more logical and comfortable.
I don't want thinking about "positions", I prefer scales/modes. BUT...
@dukeofwail I understand your point of view. It's fact that on your harmonica you have a modal chords from key of G (root note on 2nd draw).
I could answer, that scale from 1B doesn't have to be "full" or "ionian". Please take a look at Richter tuning :o)
So, for me the best way to check right key is 1st hole blow.
BTW it could be interesting to exchange ideas and knowledge about this tuning.
What do you think guys?
Best regards
==============================
 www.bleczycki.com
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GMaj7
164 posts
Dec 20, 2012
6:24 PM
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I think it should be named after whatever scale it is designed to play
So, in this case it is a 1st position marked (D) spiral. If you moved the D scale up to start at 2 draw then I would call it a cross-marked (D) spiral. I guess in a way, typical positions and key marking conventions are sort of out the window in spiral.
Just tried my first one and love it
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
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Adam Hamil
57 posts
Dec 21, 2012
7:29 AM
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I like to name the Spiral tunings for the overall key signature of the notes present w/o bending. In the case of dukeofwail's above example, I would (and do) call that "G Spiral". I name it this way no matter where I put the root note. 1B, 2D, 3D, It really doesn't matter where the scale starts, It matter what the scale is, IMO.
Alot of people talk about playing spiral tunings in many different keys. Thanks to bending, this is possible on standard "single reed" harps (1 blow reed & 1 draw reed/ hole). But "double reed" harps (2 blow reeds & 2 draw reeds/ hole), such as tremolos and octaves, you are limited to the notes of the scale. So while playing in other keys is still possible, you're really just playing modes w/ the same key signature. (no accidentals)
This is why I name spiral tunings the way I do. Not to say that I'm any more or less "correct" but it makes a lot of sense to me and the people I build them for.
I agree with Bart that when playing spiral tunings it's best to think about scales and modes rather than about postions. Being that spiral tunings can start on any hole, blow or draw, makes figuring out a system of consistantly naming postions near impossible.
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C. Adam Hamil
HOHNER CERTIFIED Free Reed Instrument Technician
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