When I am playing on my Manji harps and using a chomatic tuner to check my pitch, should all my unbent notes be at at zero on the tuner? I find some are slightly flat maybe 10 to 15 and that being the case, mostly the 2 and 3 draw is tough not to bend to -20 (flat) when I dont want to bend it down. I tuned the 2 and 3 draws up a bit so when I draw normally I am at zero unless of course I try to bend. Did I alter the intended tuning?
Is this the same for Special 20 tuning? I am not sure if some notes are tuned slightly sharp or flat for a reason and I am changing the tuning if I adjust all to zero?
Can someone explain this to me.
Regards, 528hemi
Last Edited by on Sep 18, 2010 7:22 PM
I don't have the chart, but there is one around. It depends on if you are going for Just, Equal or Compromise tuning. (I seem to remember BBQ has provided a link to a chart a few times.) It will make a difference whether chords will sound smooth or melodies will pop, or something in between. Generally I think they tune a little sharp, figuring that you'll flatten it out a bit with hard playing.
So the short answer is yes, if you tune them all to 0 I think you will change the tuning.
Here is a link to an article that explains the history of different tunings. It's more specifically about pianos, but it's interesting and it answers some of the why questions about tunings, even if it doesn't give a chart explaining the details. Anyone have a link to that chart?
What you really should do--if you can afford the price of a mid-range harp, is go to http://customharmonicas.com/r-sleigh/ and get Richards book on tubocharging your harp--he answers all these questions and gives you the charts and how-to right on down the line. Richard also sells a really nice tool kit for working on harps if you need that.
The question you are asking is too big to take up here on the forum. . . ----------
I don't know about Suzuki harps. If your harp is tuned to ET, then everything should be zero. If it is tuned to a compromized tuning (like the special 20) then the tuning will be off-from-zero by these values:
Modern Marine Band Tuning Hole #____1_____2____3____4_____5____6____7_____8____9____10 Blow______0___-12___+1____0___-12___+1____0___-12___+1_____0 Draw_____+2____+1__-11___+2___-12___+3__-11____+2__-12____+3
Your embouchure and breath force will change the offset. The temperature of the harp may also affect the tuning. You need to warm up the harp and relax when tuning.
Here is a video of Richard doing it: There are two or three more videos in this series on youtube.
