geordiebluesman
695 posts
Mar 08, 2013
12:44 AM
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Hi Guys,I have the chance to buy a custom M/Band in F for a VERY good price but it is tuned to 7Limit JI, can anyone explain to me how that will differ from all my other standard tuned Marine Bands?
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arzajac
1002 posts
Mar 08, 2013
4:15 AM
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Hi Geordie.
The only significant difference you will notice while playing it is that the 5 and 9 draw are tuned very flat. But this helps make the chords sound nicer. To notice the other differences, you probably would need to use a very precise tuner since we are talking about 2 or three cents. Unless the harp is brand new, I doubt it's still in tune to that precision anyway...
Here are some offset values from zero (if you tuned each reed to zero on a chromatic tuner - Equal Temperament) for various popular tunings:
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Last Edited by arzajac on Mar 08, 2013 4:18 AM
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oldwailer
1956 posts
Mar 08, 2013
6:53 AM
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I'd say buy it--you probably won't notice the difference--and you just might like it so much you'll need to retune all of them. I like 19-limit myself, but most of my harps are just tuned in standard Hohner. . .
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Kingley
2382 posts
Mar 08, 2013
7:02 AM
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Geordiebluesman - 7 Limit JI is a great tuning Steve. It's how all the harps were tuned on all those old recordings back in the 50's and 60's. I'd say if the price is right and it's from a good customiser with a solid reputation then buy it. Play it gently and then if you don't like the tuning you can always either get it retuned or sell it on.
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barbequebob
2215 posts
Mar 08, 2013
7:52 AM
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7LJI was used on all Hohner diatonics (with the exception of solo tuned, and the Golden Melody, which was first introduced in 1974) until 1985. In 1985 until 1992, they were tuned to 19LJI, and since 1992, they've been using compromise tunings ever since then.
For blues stuff, espcially all the classic stuff like both Walters and Sonny Boys, all of the Howling Wolf and Junior Parker recordings, all of the Paul Butterfield recordings, most Cotton & Junior Wells recordings until the mid 80's, Kim Wilson until the mid 80's, they all used harps tuned that way, as it was the tuning standard out of the factory back then.
If you have very poor breath control and play way too hard all the time, the pitch is going to get a lot flatter and the 5 & 9 draw will get knocked down from 27-31 cents flat to as much as 49 cents flat. If you seldom play past 3rd position, you shouldn't have a problem. As someone who plays in a more traditional blues sound, this is how my diatonics are all tuned, but if I'm doing a more of rock blues or play in other genres, it can be a different story.
I emphasize breath control because too many players hit 5 & 9 draw often WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY too hard and they really make themselves sound significantly flatter than they should be.
If you're a fan of all those players I mentioned, unless they're playing a chromatic or a solo tuned diatonic (diatonic tuned like a chromatic minus the slide), that's the tuning that was being used on those recordings.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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geordiebluesman
696 posts
Mar 08, 2013
8:12 AM
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Thanks lads that's all really helpfull, I recon I will go ahead and get it based on what you say and it is very high spec for the price.
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barbequebob
2216 posts
Mar 08, 2013
10:07 AM
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I should add that if you intend to play positions past 3rd, 19LJI will be more versatile, but the bottom line is that you need to fully understand what your own personal musical needs are before doing anything.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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SuperBee
996 posts
Mar 08, 2013
3:32 PM
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@arzajac: nice chart, best I've seen. Thanks!
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