Harmonicas with Modular Reedplates

A space for players interested in my specialist harmonicas, alternate tunings, instructional material, recordings etc to ask questions and share information, experiences, videos etc.
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triona
Posts: 373
Joined: Thu Mar 30, 2017 3:24 pm
Location: Aue / Germany

Re: Harmonicas with Modular Reedplates

Post by triona » Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:15 am

The first point which Dorothy mentioned - tracking and marking of single modular reeds when mounted, changed or stored - is an issue I have struggled with as well. And I still have not found my final solution for this. Therefore I am interested in further informations and new ideas about this too.

In the second question concerning the cover plates I am fully with Brendan, according to quite a lot of own practical experiences. And the different measurements of Seydel harmonicas would be a further challenge on top.


dear greetings
triona
Aw, Thou beloved, do hearken to the Banshee's lonely croon!
sinn féin - ça ira !
Cad é sin do'n té sin nach mbaineann sin dó


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Dorothy
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Joined: Sun May 29, 2022 5:02 pm

Re: Harmonicas with Modular Reedplates

Post by Dorothy » Mon Jan 23, 2023 5:12 am

Perhaps this will get us closer towards figuring out how to organize individual modular reeds. I somehow thought to modify the idea of the children's lift-the-flap books with harmonica related information. I tried this out in the key of C and eventually made this visual example. This could be printed, cut out, and assembled at home for paper charts, for each harmonica key. For the the physical modular-reeds, I suppose we could stack together the existing modular reed container cases (up to 5 or 10 reeds) together, if we organize by key. The downsize is buying for 12 keys will probably be buying several modular-reed notes over again.

Please watch for any errors and correct me, since I'm still learning.
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This one starts out with the key of C diatonic harmonica in Richard tuning, with only the small paper flap folded down for the top draw reed changed for the Paddy-Richard scale instead. The top paper flaps so far, taped onto the whole paper in order from first to last, is Melody Maker, then Harmonic Minor, then Natural Minor, then 'Paddy Ritcher' and Country. The bottom paper flaps taped on first to last on the whole paper is Power-Bender, then Power-Draw. If I repeat this process again, I would use color-blind friendly colored paper flaps that require learning to play in second posisiton, such as making the 'Paddy Richter', Country, Power-Bender, and Power-Draw paper flaps a blue colored paper.

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This one is the Melody Maker scale, which looks very different on paper compared to the standard scale in the key of C. I added arrows to show which blow or draw reeds could be moved over to reuse from the Richard scale.

Is there anything else I overlooked? Do I need to add notes of equal-temperament, compromise, or just-intonation tuning options?
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Dorothy
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun May 29, 2022 5:02 pm

Re: Harmonicas with Modular Reedplates

Post by Dorothy » Mon Aug 28, 2023 4:06 am

Can the individual reed plates have the scale lines gently etched or printed on in manufacturing, before the reeds are added, than add drop(s) of (color optional) fingernail polish manually added (or manually removed) to reveal the note(s)? It could also have blow or draw words and/ or arrow added too. This could be done on both sides of reed plate, to show options, as new players, or for players to keep track where to swap it to.

The letter could be etched or printed, or manually stamped on.

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