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beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players > Tuning when people ask you to play with them?
Tuning when people ask you to play with them?
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Frankie
83 posts
Mar 10, 2018
10:50 AM
Let's say a few guitarists invite you to play harmonica with them.

Guitars are normally tuned A:440

Default harmonicas are normally A: 442 right?

If so you will ask all other guitarists to tune their guitar to A:442?

You can't easily change your tuning but they can.

Is this a normal practice ?

How harmonica players adjust their tuning with other band players in this case ?
SuperBee
5317 posts
Mar 10, 2018
11:53 AM
Harps are tuned sharp to compensate for the tendency of breath force and condensation to make them play flat. We don’t generally ask guitarists to tune up to 442.
Some harp players tune to 443 or even sharper, in the belief that its better to be a little sharp than to be flat. Then again, some players who play with very light breath may tune their harps closer to 440, especially in recording studio use.
These are really rather small differences. The difference between a harp tuned 442 and one tuned 443 is challenging to detect for most, especially considering the things which affect the notes actually produced i.e. the player
Spderyak
204 posts
Mar 10, 2018
1:30 PM
While my wife often request to tune up.Since we are just a duo no big problem.
but now we grasp a harp that best shows off the vocals.
Some songs just didn not sound right..to much compromising,other songs were right on target.super bee and other probably have the proper terms...I just know that what we do these days.

Last Edited by Spderyak on Mar 10, 2018 1:31 PM


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