An earlier post of mine went into an unexpected direction. Here is the upshot of that digression (appearing here under a more fitting Title) ...
A Bebop-tuned non-slide C harp played in 2nd position provides a G major hexatonic blues scale across the harp without requiring bends. Just as it also provides an E minor hexatonic blues scale in its 5th position without requiring bends.
The same harp would handily play melodically in Cmaj, Amin, Fmaj and Dmin -- without requiring bends.
Also:
D and G dorian E and A phrygian F and B lydian G and C mixolydian A and D aeolian B and E locrian
I find bebop tuned (and straight solo tuned) harmonicas to be frustrating. I would rather use other tunings. And I am a huge booster for tuning chromatics to bebop. But I think most blues players, who use the chrom mainly for 3rd position, wouldn't care--that note is a blow note, and not in the main tonality. But thanks for sharing!
I would like to hear some examples of this tuning in use, playing in the keys and modes you describe above. In the other thread you indicated that this tuning was superior to Richter and regular solo tuning.
I understand that the notes are present to enable playing as described, but how useful is the layout of this tuning in making music? How well does it work in practice?
To better illustrate this tuning perhaps you could play some songs in these keys/modes you describe. Please demonstrate the theory in practice playing a "Bebop-tuned non-slide C harp". ----------
I think the disadvantages of a bebop-tuned diatonic outweigh its advantages:
Limited range: A ten-hole C harp tuned to bebop only goes to F; richter goes to the C above that.
No tonic chord in second position.
No deep bends: the whole tone bends available on draw 2 and blow 10 plus the three semitone bend on draw 3 which account for much of richter's expressive power are gone in bebop.
no blow bends at all: sorry Mr. Reed.
No tonic chord in second position, no dominant chord in first position: that seriously limits combing comping in those positions.
Last Edited by timeistight on Aug 07, 2019 1:09 PM
Hello Doug and Arthur, sorry I will miss you at SPAH. Your kindness is much appreciated. Not that this has anything to do with the thread, or in fact, harmonica in general. Cheers.
I play bebop tuning probably 50% of the time. I love it! With half valving it's amazing, IMO! My only wish is 12 holes harps with steel reeds from Seydel in low tunings.
3rd position sounds good (when Konstantin does it anyway). I'm still not convinced--I like Major Cross a lot--just dug up my XB-40 in D, and it's in the kit bag, let's see if I can put it to work. And I have a solo tuned bebop diatonic harp here somewhere, let's try valving it and see if I change my mind.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Aug 08, 2019 9:02 AM
