Gary - there is an issue with your video. The audio and video are not synched so it makes it kinda difficult, if not painful, to watch. ---------- Tom Halchak Blue Moon Harmonicas
The video worked for me, although I'm at work, so had to play it quietly - and probably missed some stuff.
It looks interesting, but I'm not sure I really understand what's happening. Do I understand correctly that this tuning is to address the problem that a standard G harmonica is so low that it doesn't cut through, and a high G harmonica is just too high for a lot stuff?
If so, do I understand that it would be similar to playing a high G, but altering it so that (among other things) what would be hole 2 draw on a high G is now hole 4 draw in the G Hybrid? Essentially giving a high G but with more notes added on the bottom end - so you get better (lower) chords and chugging, and eliminate some of the ear piercing highs - right?
Right. The draw chord is D, all 10 holes—although you still have the whole step interval between the E and the F# (hole 6 and 7 on a standard, 9 and 10 on this one. All the A notes bend down to the b5, like on hole 4, and the b3rd is available in all three octaves. And there are three C notes (the b7), one is the given on hole 7 (5 on a standard). Beats the crap out of the Penta . . .
Gary - Could you please write out the notes' layout/chart? I have noted it very hard to set up my G harps' four hole for overbends, to get the Bb there. I happen to love the PentaHarp, so if you think this is an improvement on the PentaHarp, cool. I look forward to being able to see the layout for your unique tuning one day soon. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Robert-- Here's the tuning: B E G B D G B D E G D F# A D F# A C E F# A
I can't make the PentHarp work for me, glad you like it. No Bb givens in this tuning, but lot of sweet bends in all the right places.
Draw bends on all holes except 7. Half step bends on 2, 3, 6, 8, 9 and 10. Two draw bends on 1 and 4. Three draw bends on 5. Holes 3-8 are like 1-6 on a high G.
Actually, this looks more like one of the tunings that Pierre Beauregard and Magic Dick had put together for their Magic Harp line that never really got off the ground and Pierre introduced me to this kind of tuning back in the mid-1980's if I'm not mistaken. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Great minds, etc... Thanks for posting all of the above. We have a great resource of harp knowledge here.
The tuning sounds interesting, but I had already decided to mainly stick to "Richter" harps and chromatics. I already often take a low and high pitched diatonic harps and switch between them to get the pitch range I want.
I have 5 keys of minor harps, 2 keys of Melody Makers, 5 keys of Paddy Richter, and 5 keys of country tuned harps and I hardly ever get one out unless I encounter a specific song that is best performed on an alternate tuning.
99% of the time I prefer using positions/modes and harp switching to using an alternate tuning that strains my brain. ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Mar 11, 2022 7:18 AM
