|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
7th Draw note detuned down 1/2 step
7th Draw note detuned down 1/2 step
Page:
1
Oxharp
26 posts
Oct 08, 2008
1:31 PM
|
Hi Guys,
Could you please check out the youtube vid
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=dZj5hCsx8vo
its by a guy called Todd and he has detuned the 7th reed down one half step and this gives him an advantage in that more licks are available and the weird thing that happens is that the 7 blow becomes bendable.
Could you experienced players shed some light on this technique and if Adam is reading this perhaps he could give us his take on this subject.
I just find it very interesting in this sort of thing and also half valved diatonic harmonicas by Bredan Power.
Last Edited by on Oct 08, 2008 1:32 PM
|
Preston
58 posts
Oct 08, 2008
3:18 PM
|
If I'm not mistaken, the 7 draw tuned down half a step would be the same as the six overblow. I like the idea of alternate tunings, but that note is readily available if you can overblow.
Also.....
I have been waiting to bring this one out until I had the intonation perfected and worked into my playing so I could back it up if somebody asked me about it, but here it goes anyway. Using the same embouchure as on overblow, I can bend the 7 blow down, with a REGULAR tuned 7 draw. It is very hard to get the intonation correct on it, and I discovered it completely by accident. I was working on some licks in first position, and I liked the sound of 3hole draw half step bend to 4 blow repeated quickly several times, so I decided to see what it sounded like higher on the harp. I was basically trying to warble between 6overblow and 7 blow, and I realized I was bending the 7 down. Like I said, I had never heard anyone playing doing it, and I had never read anybody talk about it until now. I wonder if tuning the 7 draw down effects the 7 overdraw? I would hate to lose that note.
|
Oxharp
27 posts
Oct 08, 2008
9:59 PM
|
Hi Preston,
I have emailed Todd reference this subject and his response is:
I am not sure why more people are not using this tuning. It's been around for many years, but I guess a lot of guys just prefer the classic tuning. The same note on 7 draw once retuned, is the same note you get when you overblow hole 6, but sounds much better as 7 draw, as the overblow on 6 can sound "squeaky". Plus, retuning hole 7 draw allows you to slide around on the higher register when playing any style - country, blues, jazz, gospel, but especially blues. It really depends on the song. You also don't lose the original 7 draw note completely, because you can achieve it by bending 7 blow. I have tuned just about every key this way, because I use it a lot. When you're playing blues in the key of A for example, and the music goes to the 4 chord (which is D) you can slide up to 7 draw or blow on a retuned harp to get some licks that are not so traditional.
Any further comments welcome.
Russ
|
Post a Message
|
