A440
337 posts
Feb 22, 2015
12:17 AM
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Seydel is offering a chromatic harp in Wholetone (Augmented) tuning. This seems like a much better layout than Solo. Has anyone here used this tuning? Would it not be easier for a chrome beginner to learn, instead of Solo tuning?
From Seydel's Website:
The reason why the Solo-tuning is the most commonly used tuning on Chromatics is mainly historical than following practical aspects for the player. The basis is always ONE major scale (C-Major on a C/C# chromatic) and the semi-notes are grouped asymmetrically.
For playing fluently on a Solo-tuned chrom in all keys the player has to learn not less than 12 different playing patterns. This is the main shortcoming for really moving freely from key to key on a solo-tuned chromatic.
The 4-Octave-Wholetone/Sharp Slide-tuning (sometimes called 'Augmented' as well) offers the following advantages - especially Jazz players will be excited:
- symmetrical note layout and equal-temperament
- the 12 holes cover almost 4 octaves (instead of 3 octaves on a Solo-tuned chromatic)
- no doubled notes
- therefore all intervals are uniform - identical breathing-pattern for playing different keys (on a solo-tuned chromatic learning a new pattern for each key is required)
- scales in all keys are playable by learning just four different breathing pattern for each scale (instead of 12 on a Solo-tuned instrument)- refer to pictures no. 2-4
Last Edited by A440 on Feb 22, 2015 12:22 AM
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WinslowYerxa
799 posts
Feb 22, 2015
12:41 AM
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No one tuning is better than another. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
Wholetone fits 3 octaves into 10 holes and allows you to learn three scale positions for all 12 keys. Those are pluses.
Minuses include the lack of alternate ways to play any notes (where you have choice notes that can be played either blow or draw). This can result in some choppy breathing patterns.
A real big minus is that any 3-note chord will ALWAYS be an augmented chord, which always sounds weird except as a passing chord or a special effect. And you never have harmonic intervals of minor 3rds, or perfect fourths or fifths.
Also, while the limited number of positions means less to learn, it also means fewer sets of possibilities to play around with. As always, you get something but you give something up.
I've played around some with augmented and had fun doing it. For awhile I had a student who was also a physicist and liked things to be logical and consistent. He tuned his guitar E A D G C F instead of E A D G B E and when he decided to play harmonica, he chose augmented tuning.
So to know what the hell I was doing while teaching him, I built myself an augmented harp out of an old Koch 980 (and half-valved it just for fun). It was interesting to play and I even recorded a song with it, Duke Ellington's Solitude:
I still play it some, but I find more variety of possibilities in solo tuning.
I'm not trying to discourage anyone from choosing and exploring and committing to alternate tunings. Look at what Brendan Power has been able to do. But I don't believe that there's a tuning out there that's the perfect answer and will sweep all others before it.
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Deepen your playing at the Harmonica Collective
Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Feb 22, 2015 12:51 AM
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A440
338 posts
Feb 23, 2015
3:30 PM
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Thanks for the insight Winslow, you make some valid points. Yet, the ease of playing scales in all keys is a big attraction, and the structure/symmetry still seems more logical to me than solo-tuning. But then there's the issue about chords.
On the other hand, Seydel is also offering a solo tuned version of the deluxe, with the upgraded round mouthpiece AND steel reeds for 200€. So basically a Saxony with DeLuxe covers and acrylic comb, at 55% the price of a Saxony. This is a really good deal. (The Wholetune version is 200€ with brass reeds).
Last Edited by A440 on Feb 23, 2015 3:37 PM
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A440
339 posts
Feb 23, 2015
3:32 PM
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and that's a nice redition of Solitude!
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Gnarly
1255 posts
Feb 23, 2015
4:14 PM
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One of the virtues of MOLT tunings is that you can have two note chords in all 12 keys, major and minor.
But you have to know what notes are the right ones . . .
I prefer
bebop tuning .
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WinslowYerxa
804 posts
Feb 23, 2015
9:25 PM
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True, Gary. And they're the same two note chords in every key. Which is sort of good news and bad news at the same time. But it also means that you have to know which ones are . . . not the wrong ones :)
(and thanks, A440)
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Winslow
Check out my blog and other goodies at winslowyerxa.com
Harmonica For Dummies, Second Edition with tons of new stuff
Deepen your playing at the Harmonica Collective
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