birdman
33 posts
May 13, 2008
2:49 PM
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technical stuff i understand this but could anyone explain just inontation
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harpmonkey
26 posts
May 13, 2008
7:27 PM
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Intonation is when you can "center" the note relative to it's proper place musically. (in a given context)
It has to do with the player's ability to "find the correct center" when playing the note. There are some who can play mechanically, but don't have the "ear" for intonation.
A horn player needs to understand intonation more than a piano player in simple playing, as the horn player can be sharp or flat when playing a fixed note, while a piano can be simply have the key struck and have a centered note.
You may hear the term "he or she is "off key", when in fact, it is intended to mean they are off center of tone.
In blues and many other expressive forms of music, intonation is "that which sounds correct" in the context of the melody being played.
Much the same as the beat can "swing" forward or back in order to express the feeling or mood.
If it "sounds right" then it is "right" in the art of music.
So for a harp player, playing straight without bends, usually is more like a piano than a horn, but with technieque, one can do marvoulous things with bends, both sharp and flat. (including Jason Ricci, who can play chords and bend one note while not bending the other(s)!)
Hope that helps.
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birdman
34 posts
May 14, 2008
12:44 AM
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thanks for that harp monkey
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Jeff
80 posts
May 14, 2008
12:16 PM
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Harp monkey, he didn't want to know what intonation is. He was inquiring about just intonation.
Essentially just intonation is a tuning of a harmonica. All of the harp greats played harmonicas that were tuned to just intonation.
But most harps nowadays are tuned to equal temperament. Basically equal tuned harps are tuned exactly like a piano. You're now perfectly in tune with your band. The problem with this is that when playing chord-heavy music like blues, the harp is out of tune with itself. All of the chords on equal tuned harps are out of tune. Just intonation is tuning the harp so it's in tune with itself. All of the chords are lush and strong.
The downsides are that often when you play single note melodies with the 5 hole draw, you're going to be slightly flat from the band.
All Hohner harps have a compromised tuning that is very close to JI, but slightly makes up for the flat 5 hole draw.
Last Edited by on May 14, 2008 10:12 PM
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Anonymous
Guest
May 14, 2008
2:53 PM
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Two notes played together create what's called a "difference tone". In just intonation, the reeds are tuned so that these difference tones are also in tune whenever two notes are played together. This is why JI chords sound richer.
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