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Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2021 6:04 pm
by IaNerd
In 2017 I introduced a tuning which bore similarities to
Circular,
Major Cross,
MelodyMaker and
PowerChromatic. As a result of some off-line discussion,
Brendan Power and I agreed to call this tuning
PowerChrom-Plus. Figure 1 (below) illustrates the prototype that I had made using Seydel’s Configurator. Figure 2 shows the same tuning but transposed to Cmaj/Amin.
After a while I decided that I wanted to make better use of the Amin octave starting at 1 draw. I was frustrated by not being able to play the melody of “Ain’t No Sunshine” on the low end; this requires three notes below the A: E, F and G. So I started to rethink this tuning.
Consider the tuning in Figure 3. It has the E below the first A – needed for “Ain’t No Sunshine”. Because it starts out spiral, it has all seven diatonic chords for Cmaj/Amin. There is a “reset” of the blow/draw pattern at holes 6 and 7. (By the way, this AB -- BC – DE – FG pattern appears to be new in itself).
I see this as being primarily an aeolian/ionian instrument. But it certainly could be used melodically in third position minor pentatonic; it does however lack a major I chord in that position. Fifth position minor hexatonic blues is another capability.
download/file.php?mode=view&id=805
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2021 12:11 am
by IaNerd
In Figure 3 (above) we could lower the 7 blow by one semitone. This would make the 7 draw bendable.
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 2:46 pm
by IaNerd
Through Seydel's Configurator I have ordered two units tuned like Figure 3 (above) plus two units tuned like Figure 4 (below). These will be tested by expert players and also beginners. I will report back with any news.
download/file.php?mode=view&id=806
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 3:15 pm
by IaNerd
Tunings like those in Figures 3 and 4 (above) can be made through Seydel's Configurator. I have looked for re-tuning alternatives that would be less expensive. My best effort so far is shown below. In this re-tuning, the upper end of the harp has an "inverted" -- as opposed to a "re-set" -- breath pattern. Some folks might actually prefer this. A strength of this re-tuning strategy is that
Lee Oskar and other brand Natural Minor harps are readily available in all 12 keys.
I have ordered a LO in Amin and will be testing this re-tuning strategy.
Other "stock" Natural Minor harp models include the Hohner Marine Band, the Seydel Session Steel, the Suzuki Manj, the Easttop T2408, and various Kongsheng harps.
download/file.php?mode=view&id=807
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 5:52 pm
by IaNerd
An even less expensive alternative ...
A 7-hole Kongsheng Baby Fat of Natural Minor tuning which is labeled as "D" (for its 1st position at 1 blow) can be re-tuned as in the post above. This results in a Cmaj/Amin harp, with full octaves for both modes/positions.
The Baby Fat Natural Minor is available in G, A, Bb, C, D and F. These would re-tune to Fmaj/Dmin, Gmaj/Emin, Abmaj/Fmin, Bbmaj/Gmin, Cmaj/Amin, and Ebmaj/Cmin, respectively.
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2021 6:59 pm
by Brendan
Looking forward to hearing these played
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_e_smile.gif)
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2021 12:31 am
by IaNerd
Looking at the re-tuning at Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:15 am (above), I am now noticing that it is very similar to
Major Cross by
Tony Eyers; that tuning also is a derivative of
Richter.
Both of these tunings feature a low side that is spiral tuned, followed by a high side that has an inverted breath pattern. My re-tuning has two more notes on the low end, and one fewer note on the high end.
The lower diagram below shows how a C Richter harp is different from a G Major Cross.
download/file.php?mode=view&id=811
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2021 5:55 pm
by IaNerd
Update: I have re-tuned a G natural minor Baby Fat as per the post of Fri Sep 17, 2021 9:15 am (above). Note that Kongsheng labels minor harps by first position, whereas some other brands label their minor harps by second position. Buyer beware.
The re-tuned 7-holer works as expected and is fun to play.
I am now anxiously awaiting the two Seydel Classic Lows that are being configured as per Figure 3 (above).
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 4:29 pm
by IaNerd
I just noticed that assigning 1 draw as the tonic gives a continuously spiral-tuned lydian octave.
Re: Spiral-DLT tuning (a working title)
Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 10:39 pm
by IaNerd
In the first post of this discussion I said that the tuning shown in Figure 3 (above) was intended as "primarily an aeolian/ionian instrument." I later noticed that it also worked nicely in the lydian mode.
In Figure 5 (below) I offer a tuning which is
complementary to that of Figure 3. This new tuning would be primarily for dorian play, secondarily for mixolydian, and tertiarily for phrygian play. [The locrian is also there, for those rare times when it is needed.] As before, we see a
doubled
leading
tone where the breath pattern re-sets for the primary mode of play. This tuning would definitely benefit from being extended to the right in a 12- or 13- or 14- or 16-hole harp.
download/file.php?mode=view&id=816