Re: [Harp-L] new diatonic tuning for chromatic play with chords



I agree with the sensible list of desirable properties that Boris Plotnikov suggests below, except that I would be happy to get 2.5 octaves in 12 holes instead of 10 if I could get full chromatic scales with just some simple draw bends. That is the trade-off that we make with fourkey and twokey tunings.

Chord twokey tuning has a full 2.5 octave range in 12 holes.
In fact, a chord twokey harp with 2.5 octaves can be purchased from Seydel by their harp configurator for the soloist pro 12, but Seydel can only make it in the Eb-minor/C#m-major configuration.
The note arrangement in for such an Eb-minor chord twokey is:


BLOW  D# F# A# C  D  D# F# A# C  D  D# F#
Hole  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10 11 12
DRAW  F  G# A  B  C# F  G# A  B  C# F  G#

The range is from D#4 in hole 1 to G#6 in hole 12. The 1-3 and 6-8 blows are Eb-minor chords, and the 5-7 and 10-12 draws are C#-major chords. With a range of 2.5 octaves, this instrument can play without bending both the F# and C# major scales as well as in Eb and Ab harmonic minor scales, and can play full chromatic scales with just two simple draw bends (for the E and G notes).
I just ordered one of these (with equal temperament) from Seydel. To get it in any other key will require the work of a skilled harp retuner, of whom there are many in this group!
-Roger



My priority for tunings on diatonic anyway:
1. Regular octave pattern, availability of 2 or 3 hole octave tongue block.
2. At least one key without bends/overbends
3. At least 2.5 octave per 10 holes.
4. No more than halftone bends.
Thanks, Boris Plotnikov



-- Roger B. Myerson, Glen A. Lloyd Distinguished Service Professor Department of Economics, University of Chicago 1126 East 59th Street, Chicago, IL 60637 Phone: 773-834-9071, Fax: 773-702-8490 http://home.uchicago.edu/~rmyerson/




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