Re: [Harp-L] Tunings: PR vs MM vs CT



Your thesis makes sense to me. My question is: what is the difference between the MM and the CT? (I am not familiar with the Paddy Richter as I don't want to learn another tuning). The tuning I use I came up with in 1959. I am pretty sure that while I did it independently, I may not have been the first. Maybe so, maybe not. And it goes like this:
5th and 9th draw are tuned UP a semi tone and the 5th BLOW has a wind saver on it. This opened up a HUGE number of pop numbers. At the time I wasn't into country western but it fit that later on to a large degree.


a few easy tunes
1.. Londonderry Aire ( not Derriere)...aka Oh Danny Boy
2.. Ga on my mind
3.. A Rose & a Baby Ruth
4.. After the Lovin
5.. All of Me
6.. As time Goes by (2 harps rqd)
7.. Basin st Blues
8.. Blue Eyes Crying
9.. He Stopped Lovin Her Today
10. Crazy
11. Cupid
12. Daddys Home
13. La la la la la la la la la Means...I love you
14. Frosty the Snowman
15. I Can't stop lovin you
16. In my little Penthouse
17. Let it be Me
18. My Love
19. Margaritaville
20. Mr Blue
21. Put your head on my shoulder
22. Sunny side of the street


On Nov 30, 2006, at 10:43 PM, Fred & Sylvia wrote:


In another forum I was discussing the relative strengths and weaknesses of
Paddy Richter vs. Melody Maker tunings. Tim Moyer and others on harp-l have
provided excellent discussions on the advantages of the PR over standard
tuning (PR = much gained and little lost in 2nd position, plus advantages in
other positions). In trying to make a case for the occasional use of Melody
Maker vs. Paddy Richter tunings, I came up with the following examples of
song-specific tuning choices for 2nd position (or starting on the 3 draw, if
you will. Personally, I have no problem thinking of a standard C retuned to
MM as still being 2nd pos for playing in G, even though intellectually I
understand the argument that it's not).


1) Danny-Boy - Definitely want to use Paddy Richter. The raised 3 blow for
the 2nd scale degree is there for the last note of the first phrase
(call-all-ING), yet the flatted 7th (standard tuned 5 draw) is still there
for the third note of the next phrase ("from glen TO glen"). You would need
to bend the 5 draw on the MM to hit that note.


2) Georgia on My Mind - Here I think a MM is preferred. Like the PR, the
second scale degree is there unbent on the 3 blow for the 4th note, but in
the third line, the natural 7th is needed on "just an old sweet SONG" - not
available on PR without overblowing. Plus on the MM you can "scoop" into
that note by starting it bent.


After thinking this through, I thought it might be useful to point out that
for certain songs a MM is the better choice. My final thought was that
country tuning is the least useful of the three most common alternate major
tunings (PR/MM/CT) for melodic playing since it is missing the 2nd degree
unbent on the 3 blow like the PR and MM, and is probably most useful for
chordal playing. Anyway, after putting together this thesis, I thought I'd
run it by the harp-l experts. The thesis being: 1) PR very generally useful
and a definite preferred option on many songs, 2) MM can be fun to play and
is also most preferred on specific songs, 3) CT is not so useful unless you
want the I. IV. V chords.


Are there other songs where MM is really the way to go? Is there something
wrong with this exposition? I'm a big fan of alternate tunings for specific
songs, but 98% of the time play standard tuning for improvising.


Fred S

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