IaNerd
74 posts
Jan 24, 2020
10:07 AM
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Can anyone name or direct me to some blues/pop/rock alternate tunings for "chromatic" slide-harps?
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barbequebob
3634 posts
Jan 25, 2020
8:57 AM
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Actually, you can go to Pat Missin's site, where he has a huge list of alternate tunings for both chromatics and diatonics at patmissin.com. He's one of THE most knowledgeable people on the planet concerning anything harmonica.
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SuperBee
6445 posts
Jan 25, 2020
4:19 PM
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IaNerd, I’m not sure I know exactly what you mean. Did you call them “chromatic” slide-harps because they would not necessarily be chromatic if given a different tuning, or do you mean specifically the Hohner Slide Harp, which looks like a chromatic but isn’t really chromatic in the usual sense because both reedplates are tuned like a standard diatonic?
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IaNerd
75 posts
Jan 26, 2020
6:01 AM
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'bob: Thank you for that lead. I am aware of that site and consult it often, but I don't know for sure which of those myriad tunings is *intended* for blues/pop/rock. Yes, I can make my own somewhat educated guesses, but that alone may leave me missing things. Hence my question.
'Bee: Good question. I am aware of that Hohner model. But my question refers to first thing you described.
Where I asked this same question on Facebook, Winslow offered the Bebop variants and also PowerChromatic. Those are good answers.
Are there still others?
I appreciate all of your kind and informative responses.
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WinslowYerxa
1662 posts
Jan 28, 2020
11:54 AM
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@IaNerd
What would make a tuning bluesy for you?
Any tuning has possible bluesy exploits. What are some of the ones you're seeking that you're not finding now in the tunings you've explored?
Answering that question might help narrow down the possibilities.
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Last Edited by WinslowYerxa on Jan 28, 2020 12:02 PM
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Gnarly
2744 posts
Jan 28, 2020
11:43 PM
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I would think half valved Power Chromatic--the Brendan Power tuning C6/D6. Every draw note bends a half step!
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IaNerd
76 posts
Jan 30, 2020
10:31 AM
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An advantage of Solo tuning is that it provides—in second position—the I and IV chords that are so central to so many songs in the blues/pop/rock area. However, many players prefer to approach the melodic part of this music using third position. Second position for the predominant chords, but third position for a “better” minor hexatonic scale. That’s an either/or.
The rigidity of having the slider always raising the slide-out note by one semitone is limiting in terms of blues/pop/rock. Yes, it provides full chromaticity, which makes Solo versatile. But it the slider *could*--at some points of the blues scale—raise a tone by one or two or three semitones, in order to reach the next higher blues note. Or the slider *could* lower a tone to the next lower blues note. The slider could also emulate some of the bluesy warbles.
Solo is a versatile tuning. But it could be modified to better fit the prevailing patterns of blues/pop/rock. As can a Richter-tuned slide-harp. I am not the first person to think so. In this video https://youtu.be/2b_3pQKAUXI noted customizer Greg Jones demonstrates an experimental Koch harp which has its slider-effects specialized to emulate some of the bluesy bends of a standard ten-hole Richter harp.
Independently of that video (which I noticed later), I have been exploring this general concept here: https://www.brendan-power.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=667#p2910 It is a work in progress; I have not yet made any prototypes. My original question is part of some research I am doing to that end. And so your kind and detailed responses are much appreciated.
Last Edited by IaNerd on Jan 30, 2020 10:35 AM
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