Wow, nice playing and rendition-I like how that melody works out on the MM tuning. I have a full set, so I will definitely play with that tune. Oh, and welcome aboard! ---------- Todd L. Greene
you can make your own melody maker out of a normal harp.
raise the 3 blow one whole step, the 5 draw one half step, and the 9 draw one half step. it's also called a major 7th tuning.
a friend of mine has me tune some of his custom MBs this way but he likes the 9 draw left alone.
you wind up being able to play melodies like 'georgia' etc. in second position. your blues chords go out the window in the trade off though. ---------- EDIT thanks to AirMojo MP doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
Last Edited by on Nov 18, 2011 11:13 AM
Melody Maker is an opportunity to develop his expression - just think that it is important to know the tone pure and what music you play for. Enjoy and have fun.
actually, MMs are fun and easy to play as long as you stick to second pos. single note melodies.
some blues players buying melody makers have been confused as to what to do with these harps. i certainly was some years ago till i revisted it in the past decade.
i made one for myself to mess with now and then since it affords you notes normally missing if you don't feel like overblowing or looking for interesting positions. except for his harmonic minor, all LEE OSKAR harps-including his natural minor, are designed for second position playing.
todd, drag one out and give it another try. avoid chords. just a thought.
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MP doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
The MM tuning is a combination of the paddy richter tuning and country-tuning (actually because of the 9 draw change, this is sometimes called the "SmoJo" tuning (if you follow Harp-L then you should know who SmoJoe is and the story behind it).
Last Edited by on Nov 18, 2011 3:51 AM
For anyone that doesn't fully understand what a Melody Maker is. I'll try to give a detailed explaination for the beginner's. The Melody Maker was designed to play in Ionian Mode (major) without any bends and haveing the notes go in a logical progression (2D 3B 3D 4B 4D 5B 5D 6B). Thats the major scale without bends or having the tuning change. What I mean by the tuning changs is on a regular tuned harp you would have to play that passage in first position blow 4 thru blow 7. On hole 7 the the notes progression changes. On holes 1 thru 6 the draw note is the higher pitched note in that hole. On 7 thru 10 the blow note is the highest pitched note. So the note progression for the major scale in first position is 4B 4D 5B 5D 6B 6D 7D 7B. It changes on the last two notes. On the Melody Maker you can bend on ALL the chord tones. Its like playing in second position but to the major scale. Very useful harp for major scale playing.
