Re: [Harp-L] RE: Solo tuned harps

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

I am curious about your interest in a valveless chromatic. The only valveless chromatic I know about is the Educator 10 by Hohnica that is sold by Hohner. At about #35 street, it is a sweet, leakfree harp despite having no valves or windsavers.


  Hohner sells the Koch, a Richter tuned valveless chromatic. It used to be available in the keys of C and G but now only comes in C. I have one of each and along with the same Richter tuning the Hohner SlideHarp which is half-valved meaning it has valves or windsavers (same thing) on the 6 draw and 4 top blow reeds. The SlideHarp allows blow bends on the first six holes of at least a half-step. (Some people claim more.)


The Koch valveless or windsaver-free Richter leaks like a screen door and is the leakiest harmonica I own (of about 100+).


I've never heard that removing valves (windsaver's) does do anything to benefit a harmonica except in the case of half-valving; which makes possible blow bends (vaved bends).




Playing a half-valved (on draw notes) solo tuned diatonic will allow blow bends.  C E G C  yield  C=B, E=Eb, G=Gb,   C=B.
Installing valves on the blow reeds: draw bends D=Db, F-Eb, A=Ab, B=Bb.


INSTALLING valves on both draw and blow reeds allow all of the blow and draw bends mentioned above -- just like on a standard solo tuned chromatic


(Most chromatic players don't know they can do valved bends because they bought the chromatic so they wouldn't have to bend. (Not realizing that chrome bending is what separates the amateurs from the pros.)


Basically, there are two kinds of bends. single reed bends and double reed bends.  The double reed bends are the draw bends most familiar with the diatonic or blues harp, which are cause by the interaction of the blow reed and draw reed. Mostly the blow reed. Which is why blow reeds go out of tune on a harp used mostly for drawbending.  The second kind of bending is caused the use of a valve (windsaver) on the opposing reed. This creates blow bends or partial blow bends for inflection.


I've heard of people ripping the valves (windsavers) off their solo tuned chomatics under the misguided impression that now they could bend their chrome just like a blues harp. NOT. The reason the two-reed bends work is that there is a "distance" between the notes of the blow and draw reeds.


On a C Richter harp, blow 1 is C, draw 1 is D. The musical interval between C and D (black note on piano) is Db aka C#. That is the bent note. Blow 2 is E, Draw 2 is G, the bent notes are F# and F. Check the piano keyboard. Blow 3 is G, draw 3 is B, the bent notes are Bb, A, Ab. Hole 4 is the same as 1. Hole 5 bow is E, draw is F. There is NO interval between E and F, therefore no bend even though some people claim there is. There is a slightly detuned flat sound.


The solo tuned harp layout simply repeats holes 4-7 on the Richter tuned diatonic. Thus, a song with flats or sharps will not be any easier to play on a solo tuned 10-hole harmonica than a blues harp on holes 4 upward.
Bends and overblows allow accidentals -- sharps and flats -- not a part of the standard 7 note scale. 


The 364 Marine Band does have a lower first octave. But making a solo tuned lower octave harp will only lower the scale by an octave, not add any additional notes outside the standard C D E F G A B C scale or whatever key. Check with Seydel which should be able to make you a low tuned solo layout diatonic with or without valves.


hope this helps.
Phil Lloyd
Troy Mich








 



-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Kumpe <bkumpe@xxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Fri, Jan 20, 2012 4:30 am
Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Solo tuned harps


I don't understand why more harp players don't  have a solo tuned harp or
two in their case.  If you play with folks who do a little country, hymns or
even standards, it can be a great tool to knock a few simple lines of melody
by ear without bends, overblows, etc.  And, they can be played in positions.
Try playing a little Santana on a diatonic and then on a solo in third.  The
benefits are obvious.

I have explored the lower end of the solo harp market a bit.  The Huang
(Cadet????) is usable with work for practice but not something you would
want to use in public.  The Hohner Marine Band 364 is almost useless as
shipped (at least mine was).  It is a big 12 hole harp that is as leaky as a
barn door.  I gave mine to Mike Peace who sanded the comb to flatten it out,
sealed the comb and then converted it to screw attachment.  It is now a much
better harp but still not my harp of choice because of its brash, raspy
tone.  The little Hering Master Solo is the best of the batch.  It comes
half valved.  I removed the valves on mine and it plays as smooth as glass.
My only complaint is that it so small (not much larger than a standard
diatonic) that it is hard to play.  But, the tone is very good for a lower
end instrument and it is the smoothest playing harmonica in my case.  I have
been talking to Mike Peace about retuning a couple of good quality diatonics
to solo for me and am experimenting with a low end, valveless chromatic.

Bill Kumpe
Tulsa, OK