scrybe314
40 posts
Jan 10, 2010
11:32 AM
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This has been nagging at me for a while now; why does the breathing pattern change at the 7-hole? Where the draw becomes the lower note? Is this a music theory thing or just a matter of design? Thanks, guys.
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Elwood
293 posts
Jan 10, 2010
12:00 PM
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Short answer: To play oompah music on harmonica. (Yeah, I know - gross, huh?)
Long answer: If you look at the layout of the notes it becomes more clear, assuming the harmonica is being played in first position. The switcheroo at hole 7 is to ensure that, for example, a C Harp has the repeated chord C E G all the way up the harp.
It seems to be the most frequently visited page at the Harp Surgery, which provides a more thorough answer than I can muster here.
Last Edited by on Jan 10, 2010 12:00 PM
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Elwood
294 posts
Jan 10, 2010
12:11 PM
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Also, to piss us off, confuse us, and in the final evaluation, give us a way of seperating complete beginners from the more senior, tier two beginners. Welcome friend, you'll like it up here.
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scrybe314
41 posts
Jan 10, 2010
12:39 PM
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Haha, thanks, Elwood. I owe you a cold one.
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GermanHarpist
923 posts
Jan 10, 2010
3:37 PM
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That was a interesting article. Never thought of it that way. Thanks!
On to 'crossing the bridge' :)
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germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
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saregapadanisa
47 posts
Jan 10, 2010
4:46 PM
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Richter tuning is really meant for basic chords.
I've never tried circular/spiral tuning ; the pattern is the same from 1 to 10 hole : blow on the low note, draw on the high (you don't have that 7 hole shift). And it seems to allow some cool jazzy chords.
Some input on circular tuning, anyone ?
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barbequebob
319 posts
Jan 11, 2010
11:30 AM
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The Richer tuning set up is basically that harmonicas were never designed origially to be a true chromatic instrument, meaning only played diatonically, for simple tunes all in first position, and nearly all tunes in Western music (as long as you don't count blues or jazz in the mix, which came much later and stood Western music on its head going away from European based norms of the day), and they usually contained two basic and important chords, the I and the V chord, and so by laying it out that way, it would be easier for the average person to remember, wheras something different tuned would become much more difficult in terms of remembeing where the note layout patterns were. On a key of C, for example, all the blow notes represents a C chord and on the draw notes, holes 1-6 represents a G9 chord.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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scrybe314
46 posts
Jan 11, 2010
11:39 AM
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Very much groovypants. Thanks, barbequebob; I'd never thought of that! I guess I've rooted myself waaay too deep in 2nd and 3rd position.
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congaron
402 posts
Jan 11, 2010
11:54 AM
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Basically, then..when the draw hole layout was done, after ensuring blow chords all the way up, the 7 hole blow was no longer available for the note that came next in the diatonic scale. I think this one single mechanical detail on the harmonica is what stalls more beginners as they try to use common sense and play a tune by ear in the very early learning stages. They try happy birthday or some other favorite oldy and get flummoxed as they criss-cross holes 6 and 7. They haven't memorized the pattern...not realizing this mechanical reversal of the harmonica and wondering why it's so hard to play it . Then they try it lower and the notes they want "aren't available" because they don't know how to bend. I am meeting a guy Friday to teach him these two things so he can keep the harps out of the desk drawer from now on.
Last Edited by on Jan 11, 2010 11:55 AM
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Honkin On Bobo
156 posts
Jan 11, 2010
11:57 AM
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"They try happy birthday......then they try it lower....so he can keep the harps out of the desk drawer."
HA! Brilliant!.....and sooooooo true.
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congaron
407 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:11 PM
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thanks...my observation of myself for 40 years until late february 2009....the friend I spoke of is exactly the same way.
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