Someone I work with just told me he started learning the Mandolin for Bluegrass music, and it got me wondering what a good tuning would be, I'm thinking PR, any thoughts?
I actually think standard Richter tuning is great for bluegrass, as long as you can bend and overland intune, the layout allows for plenty of double stops!
I happen to play the mandolin and own two Major Cross Harmonicas. One in the key of G and the other in the key of D. These are two common bluegrass keys. I'll often take a song I learned on the Mandolin and convert it into harmonica tab. The Major Cross tuning is great for fast single note bluegrass tunes. I am recently trying to play a major cross harmonica in a rack while strumming on my mandolin; albeit still a challenge for me.
BC https://www.bluesharmonica.com/teacher-accreditation?page=2
I know of some players also using what's called circular or spiral tuning for this stuff as well. For a layout of this tuning go to: Pat Missin.com ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I was a spammer I pretended I could play But I was reported by someone browsing And briskly sent upon my way.
Last Edited by nacoran on Oct 25, 2018 8:59 AM
It is true that traditional bluegrass purists will not allow harmonica, or any other instrument that is outside of the standard. (Acoustic guitar, Dobro, Banjo, Fiddle, Mandolin). However there are some groups that are more modern and play a wider variety (Old timey, country, Appalachia, etc). They are more open to other instruments and encourage it to add more flavor. So I think more a word of caution, call ahead and/or inquire instead of just showing up to a session.
BC https://www.bluesharmonica.com/teacher-accreditation?page=2
I have much experience with harmonica in bluegrass contexts. It is true that the harmonica is rare in traditional bluegrass recordings and bands. Not unknown however. Mike Stevens has toured with Jim and Jesse, Charlie McCoy appeared on bluegrass recordings in the '60s
If you take the trouble to learn the bluegrass tune repertoire, and approach bluegrass players with respect and understanding of when to play and when not to, then you will be well received.
Cara Cooke and the incomparable Buddy Greene are good examples of how to get it right in bluegrass contexts.
Old Time music is a close cousin to bluegrass, here the harmonica is more common. Current day old time harmonica master players include Trip Henderson, Mark Graham, David Rice and Seth Shumate.
---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
Last Edited by Harmonicatunes on Oct 24, 2018 7:39 PM
First thanks for the help guy's I had forgotten about Major Cross tuning, I think thats a good direction to start with, may also give chromatic's a try but after watching several youtub vid's I'll have to pick up my speed a lot.
As for purists, well if there weren't people being creative, original, and trying new things, there wouldn't be any traditions for purists to get worked up about.
Last time i checked music was something that should bring pleasure, and that's the way i like it, so I'm just going to have fun with it and hope ya all do the same
I use Major Cross for this kind of music, and other kinds too. MC is circular on the bottom: starts on Sol, draw 2 is Do in the cross key. So a C harmonica is retuned to Major G in cross position. Blow 1 is now D (Sol), and there are no missing major scale notes. Once you get to draw 5, you have to retune the F to F#, since you are in G. But the breath pattern is the same as on the C; it reverses at hole 7, so that's where the tuning ceases being circular. The F on top is also tuned to F# (like double Country, an antecedent to this tuning), and blow 10 is tuned down a half step to give you the major third (B) for your harp now tuned to G--but cross, and major. Kudos to Tony Eyers (who pronounces his name "Tiny Ears", but is a swell fellow) for developing this tuning. It is the logical evolution of the Richter--first Country, then double Country, also Paddy, then Melody Maker, related to Circular--it is not the only tuning you will need, but you could play exclusively with this tuning if that was the way you rolled. I like a lot of tunings, but am trying to be natural (see flat?) on the chromatic.
There are quite a few tunings that can work well for Bluegrass music.
Good old Solo Tuning is very effective for a lot of the repertoire, and works great for Irish tunes also - not surprisingly, as Celtic music is one of the primary sources for Bluegrass. The diatonic version can be played in several major and minor positions to provide a good choice for the more traditional tunes. However limited bending options mean it's not so good for the bluesy/jazzy flavours you often hear.
David Naiditch is proving how good the slide chromatic in Solo Tuning can be in Bluegrass. Type his name into YouTube and you'll hear him racing around many of the famous tunes, which is all the more impressive because he only uses a C chromatic. How he plays so fast and clean in keys like A major on a C chrom is beyond me!
It's technically impressive, but personally I miss the soulful note bending that's such a big element of Bluegrass fiddle and dobro, the benchmark single-line instruments of the genre. The fully-valved Solo Tuned chromatic just can't offer that down-home rootsy sound. It's too clean, a bit like playing a recorder: it works on one level but lacks the slides and bends you hear all the time on fiddle and dobro. That sinuous sliding around the notes is what gives Bluegrass and Old Timey music much of their special flavour.
I'm only a dabbler in these styles, but whenever I learn a Bluegrass/Old Timey tune I listen closely to fiddle and dobro versions to try and catch some of what they are doing on harmonica. I often end up choosing an all-bending x-reed harp (like the XB40) in Solo or one of my own tunings, as I feel that's the type of harmonica most capable of emulating the phrasing of traditional established instruments in these styles.
Hi Brendan, you didn't mention Paddy Richter, which is generally considered your innovation. I would consider it a good starting point for those looking to get into bluegrass tunes, as the learning curve is small, essentially just 1st position with a major challenge removed, the 3 hole bend. Half valving can provide the bluesy bending, which is an important part of the style.
---------- Tony Eyers Australia www.HarmonicaAcademy.com everyone plays...
