Around 20 years ago I devised a harmonica tuning for fast bluegrass and Irish tunes, and called it Major Cross. It has Major Scale notes in the second or "cross" position used by most players. Major Cross requires no bending, so fast tunes are much easier to play.
While some players have adopted Major Cross, the instruments have been hard to find.
Not anymore. Seydel have released a Major Cross model, which is now available "off the shelf".
The instrument has a distinctive blue comb. Needless to say, I'm proud to announce my own harmonica model. Check it out at the Seydel Major Cross page, which has video explanations etc. If the page comes up in German, just hit the red "Switch to English" button.
I'm (almost) always the only harmonica player at fast bluegrass and Irish sessions, the Major Cross harmonicas allow me to keep up. Some of you may be joining me soon, now that Major Cross instruments are easily had.
You can get them here ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
I predominately play Seydel harmonicas (I own a set of 1847 Nobles and a set of Session Steels). The Seydel Major Cross tuned harp intrigued me. I checked out the link and found this tuning very interesting and potentially useful for folk tunes. I went to the website of my local music chain store where I mainly order my harps, but did not see this tuning offered. Would you happen to know if or when Seydel may have this offered at local music store retailers?
Thanks
BC http://www.bluesharmonica.com/teacher-accreditation?page=1
The Major Cross harmonicas were only released a couple of days ago, so I wouldn't expect music stores to stock them. Moreover, being a speciality item, they will probably only be available online. You can order them directly from the Seydel website, at seydel1847.de/majorcross Hit the red "Switch to English" button at the top, then scroll down to the bottom of the page, you'll see where to order them. ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
Thanks. No big rush, so I'll see if the stores eventually sell them. If, not I'll check it out on the site. I also play CBGs with open "G" tuning so this might be a good complimentary harp for rack playing.
BC http://www.bluesharmonica.com/teacher-accreditation?page=1
Last Edited by BC on Feb 04, 2017 6:12 PM
Cheers. I was aware of this, you were a finger when I counted the Major Cross players I knew of. Hopefully now I'll need both hands for this, I may need to remove my sox as well. ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
Well, then, for all of the players here who are unfamiliar with the tuning-- Standard diatonic harps are tuned to a pattern many of us call "Richter". That's the main diatonic tuning of the 10 hole. But changes can be made! One useful change is to raise blow 3 a whole step--this tuning is associated with Brendan Power, and is called "Paddy Richter". And then there is country tuning, associated with Charlie McCoy but likely first used by Joe Leone, which raises 5 draw a half step. This can also be done on hole 9, "double country". If you combine these two modifications, you have the Melody Maker tuning. Major Cross takes the Melody Maker tuning and goes all the way! Melody Maker has no missing major scale notes between draw 2 and blow 9--but like Richter, there are missing notes above and below this range. Here's some charts.
Major Cross Tuning
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Blow D F# A C E G C E G B Draw E G B D F# A B D F# A
The standard Richter tuning for a C harmonica is as follows:
Standard "Richter" Tuning Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Blow C E G C E G C E G C Draw D G B D F A B D F A
So for Major Cross, Holes 1, 2, and 3 blow are raised a whole step, as is Hole 1 draw. Hole 5 and 9 are raised a half step, and blow 10 is lowered a half step. This gives you an instrument with no missing major scale steps.
So the harp to be retuned is a fourth higher than the new key e.g.; C for G, A for E, G for D, D for A
Chords produced: I Draw 2,3,4 ii Blow 3,4,5 iii Draw 3,4,5 IV Blow 4,5,6 V7 Blow 1,2,3,4 vi Draw 1,2,3,4 vii Blow 2,3,4,5
Last Edited by Gnarly on Feb 06, 2017 12:13 AM
With Major Cross the useful bend are 3 draw (flat 3rd), 4 draw (flat 5th), 5 draw (7th, like Richter tuned 5 draw) and 8 blow.
These bends don't have the expression of a regular Richter tuned harmonica, they're used more to get note for specific tunes. For example, "Over the Waterfall", a bluegrass and old timey standard uses the 5 draw bend.
I don't use Major Cross for blues, to mind mind the regualr tuned harmonicas do a better job. Major Crodd is for tunes. Luckily, most traditional tunes are in G or D, so two Major Cross instruments will cover most situations. ---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
This tuning looks almost like a blending of circular tuning and country tuning (which before they were a production line item, used to be called major 7th harps). Sounds like it could be quite useful for more jazzier situations, espeicially since that uses major 7ths more. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Just ordered one from Rockin Ron's. Price was good and free shipping, so can't beat that. He seems to carry the unique Seydel tunings that can't be had at the local music chain stores. Will need to get used to the changed holes (tell my brain this is not a C harp), but this should be great for playing non-blues tunes/melodies. Plan to rack this harp up to accompany my 4-string CBG. Really looking forward breaking out and trying something a bit different.
BC http://www.bluesharmonica.com/teacher-accreditation?page=1