Note layouts for the XB-40 for Chromaticity



As you probably have noticed, my thoughts on the use of the XB-40 as a
chromatic instrument have changed since I got mine.

Well, having said that, I want to propose a note layout challenge.

Some simple rules, just to show you what I want to get.

1) same pattern for all octaves

2) only half step bends (easier to control)

3) as few patterns for the 12 keys as possible.

Have in mind that I live in a perfect world and that I will be able to get
separate reeds to replace the reeds, so, don´t botter to limit your retuning
to what is possible by removing or adding material to the actual reeds.
Also, for the time being, it doesn´t matter if we have long and short slot
plates, just have in mind that the range you have for the reeds goes from
the 1 blow low E to the 10 blow high G (or was it regular F? It doesn´t
matter, the rules are mine, I do what I wan´t! :-).

Anyway, I think you got the idea. I don´t know much of musical theory, so I
don´t know, for instance, if a given layout is better in one key than
another. I would also like to add that I intend to play mostly regular
western music, nothing too fancy or exotic.
Some good alternative blues layouts have already been suggested, but I don´t
intend to use the resulting harmonica as a blues harp.
Chords are nice, but, when we think of the solo chrom tuning where we have
only 2, you shouldn´t be too preocupied with them. It will be more a melody
axe.

I have already some nice ideas, but I don´t want to bias your creative
minds. Not yet, anyway.

Oh, yeah. Let´s agree on notation. I´ll take Tinus format, which I think
will be helpfull in the future Sorry if it isn´t the most graphical option,
but usually the e-mail programs mess up with fancy ASCII drawings, anyway.

This is the layout of the usual XB-40 in C.

"Bend2","Bb","D","F","Bb","D","F","Bb","D","F","Bb"
"Bend1","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb"
"BLOW","C","E","G","C","E","G","C","E","G","C"
"DRAW","D","G","B","D","F","A","B","D","F","A"
"Bend1","Db","Gb","Bb","Db","Fb","Ab","Bb","Db","Fb","Ab"
"Bend2","C","F","A","C","Eb","G","A","C","Eb","G"
"Bend3","","","Ab","","","","","","",""

Since we won´t have (at least not yet, in this challenge) the bends 2 and 3,
just 4 lines are necessary.

"Bend1","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb","Eb","Gb","Cb"
"BLOW","C","E","G","C","E","G","C","E","G","C"
"DRAW","D","G","B","D","F","A","B","D","F","A"
"Bend1","Db","Gb","Bb","Db","Fb","Ab","Bb","Db","Fb","Ab"

Another possibility, is to indicate the main (_) and aux (2) reeds.

"DRAW2","C","E","G","C","E","G","C","E","G","C"
"DRAW","D","G","B","D","F","A","B","D","F","A"
"BLOW","C","E","G","C","E","G","C","E","G","C"
"BLOW2","D","G","B","D","F","A","B","D","F","A"

Use what suits you best.


Best regards,
Fernando Bresslau





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