Hi blues aficionados. I play the blues, but not as much as you. I also play harmonica, perhaps as well as some. So I use alternate tunings to get different sounds. How many of you, who play the blues on Standard tuned harmonica, also use alternate tunings, and if you do, which ones? I'll start--I use Standard, Melody Maker, Major Cross, and Power Chromatic. Also a tuning I came up with, that is circular on the bottom but Standard on top. I'm thinking about carrying a few Country Tuned too--I shall have to make them first. I have the On The Road Again harp, and a Todd Parrot tuned, but don't use them. Oh, and PentaBender. That one I am trying to master enough to use more--it's a lot like Power Chromatic.
I country tuned an MB, initially to play Roly Platt's version of somewhere over the rainbow but I've messed around some and it's great having the major chord on 456 draw and that raised 7th for melodies.
I have a couple of minor tunes harps; natural and harmonic. The harmonic is great for a totally different chord style and the naturals give me easy access to melodies that don't sounds great on standard tuning.
Honestly it feels like you could spend months getting to grips with an alternate tuning, even something simple like country tuning.
Hey Gnarly I’m probably the last person you would expect to respond to your post given my previously stated resistance to altered tunings but I do own a couple that I haven’t used for performances.
One is a Lee Oskar Natural minor in Gm that I’ve had for over 20 years. I only dabbled with it but did have good results when practising Sting’s ‘Moon over Bourbon Street’ but I haven’t really persisted with it.
The other is a Harp I was given in True Chromatic Tuning. Here is the layout:-
C Eb G Bb D F A C E G
D F A C E G B DF# A
I’ve just had a go at Mr Bojangles on it as a trial and it works ok even with my embellishments added to the melody. I think the only bend I used (and that was outside the melody proper) was a single draw bend on 5.
This tuning has some lovely chords. Here is a quick sample.
BTW Ta for the chord info on the MM.
What are the altered notes on the Canned Heat Song?
EDIT: Just remembered this lovely tune and great bit of playing by Alex Paclin. In his own words this is a tuning based on circular created by my friend and called True Chromatic.
As we talked about at Spring Harp Fest, my main tuning these days is Easy Third due to the easy pentatonic scales with sensible repeated breath patterns. It's great for reggae, blues, country, etc. I do like and also play Natural Minor ( reggae) and Standard tunings (blues) as well. Probably in fourth place is Dorian Minor tuning for some jazzy vamping. I have this sort of extended Paddy Richter tuning that I used to play a lot, but not so much recently. I have a couple of tunes I like to play on a Harmonic Minor, mainly dramatic chord vamps. I have a couple of "Spanish Tuned" harps that sound cool, but I don't play much any more. Power Bender and Power Draw have never really registered with me for some reason, but I have a couple of these tunings as well. I tried circular tuning once, and loved it, but lost that harp while traveling. I should get another. That might be about it for tuning systems. I've experimented a lot, however, so I may have tried some other ones out at some point, lol! ----------
Thanks guys-- These are the kinds of responses I was hoping for. I got to play guitar at SPAH for Joe Filisko when he demonstrated playing the blues on a Newton Fourkey. Doubt if he is using it much tho. I sure wish overblow.com was back up, it really helped visualize altered layouts. David Fairweather talks about a software program he uses for this kind of study--http://www.myriad-online.com/en/products/harmony.htm Harmony Assistant, looks like it's free. Anyone else use this? PS Alex Paclin sounds great!
Last Edited by Gnarly on Jul 12, 2018 8:58 AM
I usually use Richter diatonics or keyed chromatics, but I DO have some special tunings that I occasionally use, but don't regularly carry in my case.
I have several LO natural minor harps, but the only one I've used at gigs is the F minor when playing "Green Onions." The other ones have been modified by tuning the 3 blow up a step, eliminating the duplicate notes on 2D and 3B and allowing that note without a bend. However, I usually play 3rd on diatonic (or Paddy Richter) for minor and 4th on chromatic.
I swapped top plates on 5 LO Melody Maker and 5 LO Richter harps and now have 5 Paddy Richter (3 blow sharped a full step) and 5 Country tuned (5 & 9 draws sharped 1/2 step).
I have 3 Melody Makers.
I have one Todd Parrot tuning with a reed I filed. Five other harps were tuned this way with blu-tak and I since re-tuned them to standard Richter by removing the blu-tak.
I seldom use the special tunings, but I did use a Paddy Richter a couple years ago to play the signature lick in a recording without having to hit the bend. I soloed once on C Paddy Richter in 3rd (1:33), and the second time on a High G Richter cross harp (3:19).
----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Jul 12, 2018 3:55 PM
I started the alternate tuned path with a Melody Maker in G--and so am grateful. But I don't care for the Tombo LO response--and so will retune other brands. I, of course, like the Suzukis just fine, and am trying to use Manjis a lot--but have lots of SP20s (too many?) and so will use them for altered harps. Last unit I did was a Harmonic Minor Major Cross, that was made from a 14 hole 365. The top isn't converted, but I'm not using it onstage at this point (I made it to play with a local singer/songwriter). I am looking forward to Brendan Power making Lucky 13 harmonicas in Solo tuning, or perhaps his Power Chromatic tuning.
Great topic. @dougharps, I noted that you have used melody makers and have swapped plates. I am not certain what keys of what harps you switched with. I am new to this swapping plates but I have made one using an A major blow and an E natural minor draw. It works well with reggae and blues. I think this is called the dorian harp but I am not certain there, either. The end product gives me flat 7s on draw holes 3 and 7. The 7 hole can now bend down to the standard major 7. I, too, have several melody makers that i would love to do some swapping with but am not certain as to which arrangements I could make without other mods, ie tuning specific reeds. I am primarily a blues player and am now playing all ob/ods on most keys. I have a keen interest in playing more jazz and am studying a lot of different scales on both diatonic and chromatic, a wonderful study that really has opened up a lot for me, musically speaking. I have played since 1973 but am ob/oding only since January this year. I had all the standard blow/draw bends down forever so I had a good jump-start on the ob/od thing. Sure wish I had learned the technique when I was younger but no matter, actually. I just want to learn more and experiment. Thanks one and all for your replies. Cheers !
Last Edited by ROBERT TEMPLE II on Jul 12, 2018 2:46 PM
@ROBERT TEMPLE II To swap plates to make special tunings you take a diatonic in a given key (C for example) and determine the crossharp/2nd position key (G). Then you take a Melody Maker in that crossharp key (G in this example). Melody Makers are labeled in 2nd. Swap top plates, and you get a Paddy Richter and a double Country tuned harp.
I have switched away from LO to using other brands/models of harps for regular Richter tuning, but I still have the LO special tuning harps to use on occasion.
A full set of regular LO Richter harps serves as my 2nd or 3rd string "car harp" set. If the gaps are adjusted you can OB 5 and 6 for a passing tone. Like Gnarly, I like other models better...
I use a natural minor pretty frequently for blues. I use a harmonic minor for klezmerish stuff. Very occasionally I'll put out a tremolo (solo tuned?). I also play around with my Turboslide, which isn't exactly a different tuning but does open some options up. I was going to get a melody maker next, but I'm leaning towards a different project that will eat up my mad money for a while.
Shot the sheriff in Gm ---play C nat minor harp---cross
Cowgirl in the sand key Am -- play D nat minor--cross
Please don’t let me be misunderstood Am --play D nat minor—cross Then go straight into Unchain my heart in Am use same D nat minor
Georgia key key A capo 2 p-- play g chord etc I use a D melody maker for that maj7
House rising sun –nat minor
Nothin to nobody robben ford I use a D nat minor ---cross
Old love nat minor harp
Mr magic in Cm use F nat nt minor
Stand my me I use a melody maker for maj 7
Summertime in Am use d nat minor
Thrill is gone I do Cm use Fnat minor also Goin back to the blues hadden Sayer in Cm use F nat minor
Whats goin on marvin gaye in E with E maj 7 I use a A melody maker
Believe it or not I switched “work song “ to Gm cuz easier on my arthritic hands and I use a C nat minor—I know this will rattle a few tail feathers- but I don’t care---I want notes to be easy to hit on the rack [don’t want to think to much]---On work song I learned the mark ford, robben ford harp leads—but can’t do it on rack I really like this song
If the I chord and IV chord are minor I usually use a natural minor in cross ---yes I can play 3rd pos but prefer the note layout in a natural minor r vs 3rd pos
I know a lot of these aren;t blues--but i play everything from Neil young to Sublime-- my forte is Neil Young and blues--but Like to throw summertime --Mr magic etc in for old folks like me
I once asked the fella at the music shop for a Marine Band in G and he accidentally gave me a G-natural minor. When I walked to my truck I opened her up and gave her a blow.....it sent shivers down my spine....and not in a good way. I tried a few riffs and then walked right back in the store. Seeing as it was his mistake, he traded me for what I asked for even though I'd given the harp a nice juicy kiss. That was several years back and I haven't been brave enough to buy one since. Maybe I should give it a go?
I'm with One Palm John. The work required to get better at altered tunings I'd sooner put into getting better with what I already have. That said I love playing chromatic harps in 3rd position and have extended my chromatic harmonicas and now have a 4 octave C, and CX-12's in Bb, D, F and G which I guess fall into different tunings. I did buy a couple of Lee Oskar natural minor harps but I prefer to use a standard harp in 3rd or chromatic in 3rd. I set up an A harp for "On The Road Again" I flattened 7 hole draw rather than raising 6 hole draw with a drop of CA glue. I believe that was how Alan Wilson modded his harp. I now use 6 hole overblow on a standard harp. I have thought of getting a couple of Lee Melody makers but as folk and country aren't really my favourite music styles I've held off. Anyone want to swap one of my natural minors for a melody maker? Cheers JG
I haven't been playing very long, but after experimenting with a set of PowerDraw harps a while back, I've re-tuned all of my harps that way. I also half-valve all my harps with bits of bicycle inner-tube.
I feel it gives me the best bang-for-my-buck, so to speak. Songs like "On the Road Again" were practically automatic, with the new 7-draw filling in for 6-draw. I'm having a lot of fun playing "Low Rider" style riffs on the top end of the harp, and "Sonny Boy II" on the bottom two thirds.
I've ordered a few Seydel's pre-tuned to PowerDraw and half-valved with the PT Gazel method. (A Session Steel in G, an 1847 Silver in D, and an 1847 Low C) Otherwise, I've got a collection of different harps that I've re-tuned in my preferred way. A couple of my favourites being a Yonberg Typhoon in A, and an otherwise sketchy BluesRiver in B that I re-combed with an Andrew Zajac Dark Comb.
I play a bunch of "Dulcitar" or "Strumstick" style diatonic Cigar Box Guitars that I've built over the years... and for whatever reason, the PowerDraw tuning seems to work really well, allowing my brain to sort of "stay in the same mode" when thinking about runs of notes on either instrument when playing live.
---------- Rob Laferrière Russell, MB, Canada
www.woozleeffect.com
Last Edited by WoozleEffect on Jul 14, 2018 11:26 AM
I am really interested to learn so much here. Thank you all for such diverse ideas. Here are the three alt setups i have made using just LO harps that I have had for decades and am just now finally making GREAT use of them. A very inspiring evening last night, all night.
I started a few months ago using an A major blowplate over an E nat minor drawplate. This gave me flat 7s on draw holes 3 & 7, I can ob blow 3 for the natural 7 and blowbend 7 for the natural 7 there, too. This and all following setups and following alterations are based on an A major harp. I have optimized all three of these setups for ob/ods which is something I have pursued tirelessly since mid-January of this year. It's going great!
A very cool setup here gives a whole step raise to blow 3. I used an E Melody Maker blow and an A major draw.
Finally, for those who love something way out of the norm but curiously appealing, I used an E natural minor blow and an E Melody Maker draw. Blow holes 2, 5 & 8 lowered a half step. Draw holes 5 & 9 raised a half step. With ob/ods, wow! Have fun!!!
Last Edited by ROBERT TEMPLE II on Jul 17, 2018 4:16 PM
I play Powerbender and PowerChromatic pretty much exclusively now to play blues or anything else. I find both turnings lending itself to multiple positions well.
For many years, I was a "young dog with an old towel clamped in my teeth" regarding alternate tunings....felt they were "cheating"...took too much time to learn...didn't explore them....insisted that all should and could be done on standard diatonics (studying with Howard Levy in the early 90's reinforced this attitude).
However, as an older and wiser "young dog", I let this attitude go a few years back and picked up a few alternate tuned harmonicas that some creators had given me to try out (which had sat in a box for 15 or 20 years) and started messing around with them. Without knowing anything about what the tunings were, I eventually discovered a LOT of new and interesting twists available to me (sometimes playing them in 3rd, 4th, 5th positions) that, much to my own surprise, really didn't take that long to adjust to the new layout.
Never put this new found knowledge to much use, though, due to no musical situations in my little coastal GA area that were not karaoke style/southern rock style situations (although many invitations were offered after hearing me play) and a semi retired music creator state (aside from teaching) these days, instead focusing mostly on the gourmet food industry (which, to me, was just like creating music, only using different components....same approach to creating music using a different medium - food/taste/tongue areas excited by different spices/textures/after taste, etc).
So, alternate tunings are like exploring say, Indian Cuisine or my latest fetish- Thai Food! ---------- The Iceman
Iceman Haha That sounds all too familiar to me but my grip, late in the day, is now starting to loosen. I think with all the new innovations, harp tunings and inventions now appearing on the scene the hard fought skills of grappling with the complexity of Richter (in being able to play stuff it was never invented for OB/OD) are maybe becoming pointless other than achieving merit points for effort.
I mean if you can musically achieve something more pleasing with a different diatonic harp setup then why struggle? However I think there will still be resistance as Richter is still the default tuning and many players have put heaps of work into producing some remarkable work on Richter.
@snowman.....natural minor tuned harmonicas are made to play in second position but in the same minor key you are playing.....for playing Aminor you play Aminor natural tuned in second position......you dont cross them.....if you have a korg check out 2draw on Aminor and it comes up A....also 3 blow 6blow and 9blow
I just added a set of Lee Melody makers to my kit bag and like some of the possibilities they seem to offer. Very early days but looking forward to exploring the potential for the different sound. I especially like some of the very different chord sounds you get with them.
