paulbunyn
91 posts
Oct 09, 2013
9:09 PM
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I have found a guitar player with whom to practice. Because of a hand disability, he plays in Bb. I play along now in Bb in first position, richter tuned at the moment. I have tried my Eb to play 2nd position but something is not quite right. Probably me. We are playing Gospel and older country songs. I am thinking a Seydel Melodic Maker Eb. Would a different tuning work better? What would you recommend?
Thanks,
Paul
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harpwrench
697 posts
Oct 10, 2013
4:55 AM
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12th position might work real nice. F harp, 5 draw becomes the root note to play in Bb.
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timeistight
1398 posts
Oct 10, 2013
6:01 AM
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The problem is that second position is missing the major seventh note (e.g., A in your key of Bb) in the middle octave unless you overblow, and you need that note in lots of country and gospel tunes.
Twelfth position on an F harp gives you the A but you need an overblow for a middle octave Eb (the fourth in Bb).
A country-tuned or "Melody Maker" harp in Eb gives you both those important notes in second position, which is why those harps are popular with country players.
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HarpNinja
3522 posts
Oct 10, 2013
7:47 AM
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Can you play in 12th? 3rd, maybe? 12th and 3rd would have the same interval layouts, but require different harps...would probably sound great and not require an additional purchase.
Your tonic, the 2", 5 draw, and 9 draw may sound flat depending on the temperament of your harp. For example, a stock Golden Melody in 12th will sound more intune than a harp tuned to 7 Limit JI for blues.
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isaacullah
2537 posts
Oct 10, 2013
8:39 AM
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All advice give here is sound. I will add that if you don't currently know 12th position, it's not that hard. Start first with the major pentatonic scale that is "built in" to the position: -5, +6, -6, +7, -8, -9. Add the +4 and -4 to the low end of that scale, and the +9, -10, and +10 to the high end, and you have a lot of tuneful notes that will sound "good" to his backing. Once you are comfortable with that, you can then start adding bent notes in the low octave and overblows in the middle to "spice" it up a bit.
Melody Maker (basically a combination of Patty Richter and Country tunings) would also work well in 2nd position.
Good luck!
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Aussiesucker
1335 posts
Oct 10, 2013
12:56 PM
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I play Bluegrass, Country & Gospel and I use the major cross/melody maker tuning a lot. I now retune my own harps as Lee Oskar does not offer a complete range of keys. Also I found that the Lee Oskar C & D melody makers are based on original tuning of Low F & G hence I had to retune a Hi G (D) & an F (C) in order to provide me with a harp that can cut through when playing with others.
It is a great tuning that IMO is very much underestimated. The 1st pos play is also great for minor tunes. The big disadvantage is in having to double up with harps ie I mainly use standard diatonics as well for 1st, 12th, 3rd, & 5th pos melodies & some 2nd for some melodies but also for back up chords.
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GMaj7
296 posts
Oct 11, 2013
5:56 AM
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Taking Melody Maker tuning just a little further and you could go with spiral tuning. Spiral essentially gives you the designated scale in blow/draw sequence with no bends or OBs required. It is great for fast bluegrass runs. I use it on Whiskey For Breakfast, San Antonio Rose, etc..
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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
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paulbunyn
92 posts
Oct 11, 2013
4:37 PM
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Thank you all for your opinions. Todd Parrott advised that the Melody Maker tuning was very much like first position playing which has its own pros and cons. (In his opinion) Country tuning lends itself to more expressive playing than the MM. This is what I am after so I have decided to try a Country tuned harp. I only play 1st and 2nd positions, no chromatic, no over blows or over draws as of this point.
Thank you all. I will let you know how it goes.
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paulbunyn
93 posts
Oct 19, 2013
9:43 PM
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I have received my new harp,Eb country tuned. I really like it. I am having some trouble bending the third hole, which I know is common. I can get the bent note I want but there is a higher pitched squeal that is accompanying it. I do believe this is the tuning Iwas looking for tho.
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Gnarly
730 posts
Oct 19, 2013
10:24 PM
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The reason country tuning can be more expressive than Melody maker is that there are draw bends that enable you to change the pitch for expression.
But major cross has no missing major scale notes--the bottom part of major cross is just like circular tuned harmonica.
I look at it this way; country tuned harmonicas raise the draw five and Paddy Richter raises blow three to the major sixth. If you combine those two, you have Melody maker.
Major cross takes melody maker and raises up blow holes one and two and draw hole one. So now there are no missing major scale notes.
So that's great for fast tunes where it's hard to bend to pitch accurately. But you sacrifice the big bends that enable you to wail.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Oct 19, 2013 10:25 PM
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