tookatooka
1605 posts
Jul 31, 2010
5:29 AM
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I wish I could get a harmonica that would allow a two step bend on draw 8. That would really pep up 3rd position playing in particular.
I can manage a tiny bit of a draw bend but when it gets to its maximum it just collapses to nothing.
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GermanHarpist
1664 posts
Jul 31, 2010
6:10 AM
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you have a file and a tuner? Go for it! :)
About the bend collapsing... yeah I know what you mean. It's not like draw bending where you can just rip the bend down until your jaw dislocates...
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barbequebob
1061 posts
Jul 31, 2010
10:44 AM
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@tookatooka --- If you half valve the harmonica, you can get a half step bend on it. To do the kind of bending you're thinking of, you'd be doing some very radical retuning of the enitre top octave and you'd need to know where you have to place the other notes because you're gonna need to change that scale and then to tune it, you would have to be REALLY good at using solder, which is a difficult, messy technique to master, plus you WILL need some sort of tuner, and then an entirely new muscle memory to deal with.
In that octave, you're only gonna have 1/4 step MAX, and you also have to remember that the 8 blow is the HIGHEST note in that hole and the harmonica will bend in 1/2 step increments from highest to lowest note in the hole to within 1/2 step of the lowest note in the hole.
Your other option is to learn overblows and overdraws.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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tookatooka
1609 posts
Jul 31, 2010
10:44 AM
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Eh? File? I don't want it permanently bent down.
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barbequebob
1062 posts
Jul 31, 2010
10:46 AM
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That's the reality of where your wish list is. You may also want to look into alternate tunings and Pat Missin's website has a HUGE list of alternate tunings.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Jul 31, 2010 12:47 PM
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tookatooka
1611 posts
Jul 31, 2010
10:49 AM
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Hey fellas. Whoa! I'm happy with the rest of the harp, I was just saying if I could get a draw bend on 8, that would be really nice for 3rd position. It was only a little bitty wish. No big deal.
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Elwood
500 posts
Jul 31, 2010
11:54 AM
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Tooka, repeat after us:
You have been VERY VERY VERY foolish...
You have been VERY VERY VERY foolish...
You have been VERY VERY VERY foolish...
Last Edited by on Jul 31, 2010 11:54 AM
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tookatooka
1614 posts
Jul 31, 2010
11:57 AM
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Hmmmph! Yeah I'm gonna go and sit on the naughty step.
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boris_plotnikov
181 posts
Jul 31, 2010
12:23 PM
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Why you don't like 7 blow?
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nacoran
2391 posts
Jul 31, 2010
12:37 PM
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Get a 12 hole harp and tune the top end to give you the notes you need. How about a 12 hole diminished?
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Nate
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Diggsblues
425 posts
Jul 31, 2010
2:39 PM
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A Silver CBH 2012.
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How you doin'
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jim
253 posts
Aug 01, 2010
6:01 AM
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I've tried diminished. It certainly is chromatic, but playing simple stuff in min/maj is much more difficult than on purely diatonic tunings
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www.truechromatic.com
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JohnnieHarp
22 posts
Aug 01, 2010
1:09 PM
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Jim: which tuning do you play the most? I am really enjoying the circ tuning that you youtubed. Very easy to get used to...
BBQ Bob: Blu Tak is the way to go ... at least in terms of proof of concept ... no mess, no fuss ... and is pretty resilient ... I have it on 13 of twenty reeds in a circ tuned harp ... is played daily with no loss of material to date ... several weeks now ... agree that a "permanent" solution for a customer requires solder ... not sure for a DIY hobbyist ... plus easily reversible so harp can be returned to original
Last Edited by on Aug 01, 2010 1:10 PM
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jim
257 posts
Aug 01, 2010
1:46 PM
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I'm learning my TrueChromatic tuning on the chrom.
I've also tried it on the diatonic, and it's very playable. So I'm likely to be learning the same tuning for the diatonic as well
I play richter diatonics of course, as well as its variations like nat. and harm. minor.
But generally, my line of education on the harmonica is directed towards NON-richter tunings.
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www.truechromatic.com
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shanester
140 posts
Aug 01, 2010
8:47 PM
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Pat Missin mentions super glue for weighting the reeds.
I like it in theory because you don't have to risk getting too much heat on the reeds.
My approach however, is to embrace the diatonic as it is and work within the Richter Realm.
Tooka Tooka, get off that naughty step, it ain't worth a time out!
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Shane
1shanester
"Keep it coming now, keep it coming now,
Don't stop it no don't stop it no no don't stop it no don't stop it no no..."
- KC and the Sunshine Band
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JohnnieHarp
23 posts
Aug 01, 2010
9:47 PM
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For anyone interested in altered tunings, try Blu Tak first ... if this doesn't suit your needs, then go up the scale in terms of "permanancy" ... (Brendan Power turned me on to this in a HarpL post) ... adhesives can be really tricky to work with when doing "micro surgery" ...
>Pat Missin mentions super glue for weighting the reeds.
Recall reading somewhere someone mentioned superglue and lead filings ...
Adhesive lead tape is available in golf stores for adjusting golf club swing weights ...
>... to embrace the diatonic as it is and work within the Richter Realm...
You owe it to yourself to at least try a natural minor tuning ... some tunes fit much better on this tuning ... easy to create as only need to lower slightly the pitch of five reeds ... take your favourite harp and reversibly alter it to see best how it works out ... Blu Tak Baby!
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shanester
142 posts
Aug 02, 2010
3:35 PM
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JohnnieHarp, you are right, I should at least try a natural minor tuning, and if someone puts one in my hand I would be delighted to!
I have to say however that I am very delighted to commit to the "Richter Realm". For me, working within "limitations" is something that simply fires me up creatively.
When I raced mountain bikes years ago, I always had a very simple rig while many of my competitors were obsessed with equipment. I loved beating them using pure riding skill.
I always loved a story I heard about a native american in Mexico that won a world class marathon in the mountains in a pair of homemade sandals.
For me this kind of stuff is what inspires me.
Part of what brought me to the standard 'ol diatonic is that it is an underestimated and diminutized "poor man's" instrument, but with heart and practice, it can move people to tears (or elation for that matter).
My philosophy is not the "right" one or the only one, just my expression, and I love appreciating other approaches and expressions as well, diversity is the spice of life.
Shane
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Shane
1shanester
"Keep it coming now, keep it coming now,
Don't stop it no don't stop it no no don't stop it no don't stop it no no..."
- KC and the Sunshine Band
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shanester
143 posts
Aug 03, 2010
1:33 AM
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I just had a "morning after" moment regarding my previous post.
Sorry, that was really boring and meandering OT!
'nite!
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Shane
1shanester
"Keep it coming now, keep it coming now,
Don't stop it no don't stop it no no don't stop it no don't stop it no no..."
- KC and the Sunshine Band
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JohnnieHarp
24 posts
Aug 03, 2010
7:37 PM
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>I just had a "morning after" moment ...
LOL ... actually was just going to respond to it so maybe I'll be having the same "moment" tomorrow ...
>natural minor tuning ...puts one in my hand I would be delighted to!
Not trying to "win" an argument here ... I recently found that I prefer some non-Richter tunings ... you and others may too ...
If anyone wishes to try either a natural or harmonica minor, it's easy to reversibly alter a richter harp ...
Blow plate (upper) the same for both ... lower 2b 5b 8b by a semitone … I use Blu Tak generic … playdoh or silly putty may work as well …
Draw plate (lower) … for natural minor lower 3d 7d by a semitone … for harmonic minor lower 6d 10d by a semitone …
Here's a link to a Lee Oskar pdf on other tunings:
http://www.leeoskar.com/documentation/ExperimentWithNewTunings.pdf
> won a world class marathon in the mountains in a pair of homemade sandals.
JUST finished reading “Born to Run” (due back at the library tonight) … it tells the story of a native Mexican tribe that run tens of miles many days … they live in a huge canyon in central Mexico … in the mid 90s some were brought to run in the Leadville 100 ultra marathon … also a mountain bike race named the same … the book also details the ultra-run on their home turf a few years ago, to which I think you are referring … I think you’d really enjoy the read …
I’m not a racer but have attended several national road and mountain bike championships … had a relative participating … am watching with great interest the ongoing LanceCo story ...
Last Edited by on Aug 03, 2010 8:02 PM
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shanester
146 posts
Aug 04, 2010
6:17 AM
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Thanks for the info JohnnieHarp. I do like the idea of that bluetac for experimenting with tunings.
I will have to try a natural minor tuning sometime.
Thanks for the info on that book! I'll look for it!
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Shane
1shanester
"Keep it coming now, keep it coming now,
Don't stop it no don't stop it no no don't stop it no don't stop it no no..."
- KC and the Sunshine Band
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JohnnieHarp
29 posts
Aug 04, 2010
7:35 AM
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>Thanks for the info on that book! I'll look for it!
Your welcome ... author Christopher McDougall ... Title Born to Run ... published 2009 by Knopf
Last Edited by on Aug 04, 2010 7:35 AM
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