Special tuning (harmonica)

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Richter harmonicas

A special tuning is an arrangement of the notes of a harmonica that deviates from the standard of the judge's tuning . Different goals are pursued depending on the special mood. Actually, it should be called special tone arrangements , as it is not a matter of dividing frequencies into tones (see tuning and key ). However, the term special mood has established itself in common parlance.

Why are there special moods?

In the diatonic harmonicas, the so-called has Judge mood established as a standard. The pitch arrangement of the Richter tuning is based on a major scale, which has omissions and duplications in the lower octave:

Richter System ( audio sample ? / I )Audio file / audio sample
Overblow Eb Eb F # Port
Port
Blow bending Eb F # H
Blow C. E. G C. E. G C. E. G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G H D. F. A. H D. F. A.
Pull-bending C # F # Port C # From
F. A.
From
Overdraw C # From C #

If you orient yourself according to the scale , it is distributed in the harmonica as follows. The notes of the scale have been numbered for better illustration.

Richter system (note number in scale)
Blow 1 3 5 1 3 5 1 3 5 1
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull 2 5 7th 2 4th 6th 7th 2 4th 6th

This system results in advantages and disadvantages: Advantageously, the lighter playability of accompanying chords to be blown (C Major with reversals ) and the corresponding dominant to draw ( G Major with inversions, GSM dominant and thereafter d minor) . The disadvantage is that a diatonic system cannot easily be played in other keys and scales . There are also certain limits to the playing techniques of bending and overblowing . For the development of a new system or a special mood, it is important to compensate for these disadvantages. There are different approaches. These range from changing individual tones to converting the entire system. The reasons for this can be as follows:

Harp screwed on
1. The player would like to play other diatonic scales because he is playing in different styles. Possibly the instrument should be used in ethnic music. For this purpose, you can change the Richter system to the desired scale within certain limits (e.g. Gypsy minor and Gypsy major , Spanish scale , harmonic, melodic and harmonic minor , church keys such as Doric , Arabic scales, Chinese pentatonic , ¼1 / 4 tone scale etc.).
2. The player wants an improvement in the technical possibilities in terms of simplified
- diatonic game
- chromatic game
- multi-key playing
through more extensive bending options .
3. The player wants to adapt the harmonica to personal preferences or restrictions (e.g. a harp with a blues scale to avoid bending and overblows), or simply needs a harmonica for special effects.

Examples

Harmonious minor

An example of the scale-related modification of the Richter system is a harmonica in harmonic minor . Here it is only necessary to change a few notes in the judge system.

Harmonious minor, Richter system ( audio sample ? / I )Audio file / audio sample
Overblow Db E. From Db E. From
Port
Blow bending B. D. F # B.
Blow C. D # G C. D # G C. D # G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G H D. F. G# H D. F. G#
Pull-bending Db Gb Port Db E. G
F. A.
E.
Overdraw C. Eb F # A.

Country

A good example of a judge 's mood adapted to the playing technique is the country mood . Here the tone was raised by a semitone only in channel 5 drag . This also gives you good bending options in this channel. The result is a major 7 chord , which is particularly suitable for country music.

Country mood ( audio sample ? / I )Audio file / audio sample
Overblow Db F. From Db F.
Port
Blow bending Eb F # H
Blow C. E. G C. E. G C. E. G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G H D. F # A. H D. F. A.
Pull-bending C # F # Port C # F. From
F. A.
From
Overdraw C # F. From C #

Diminished

The diminished mood is an example of the complete reorganization of the judge system. Here the eight-tone whole-tone-semitone scale is continuously distributed over the channels of the harmonica, so that all twelve tones can be played by semitone pulling bends alone . The arrangement leads to a series of diminished chords .

Diminished mood
Blow F # A. C. Eb F # A. C. Eb F # A.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull From H D. F. From H D. F. From B.
Pull-bending G Port Db E. G Port Db E. G Port

Obtaining a special mood

Tuning a harmonica on the tuning table

For some years now, special tunings can be ordered directly from two manufacturers (see below: List of customizers and manufacturers of special tunings ).

Previously, the player had to lend a hand for each special tuning or hire a customizer. When building your own special tuning, there are the following options:

1. Retuning the relevant notes of a Richter harmonica. This only works if the pitch is similar to the judge system and the target pitch is no more than a whole step away from the starting pitch. However, especially with high notes, retuning often leads to a weakening or breakage of the tongue even earlier. Then only remains:
2. The changing of reeds . This is mostly necessary where the whole system deviates significantly from the judge system.

Special tunings of the diatonic harmonica

Modifications of the Richter tuning

Minor, of course

Minor, of course, Richter system
Blow C. Eb G C. Eb G C. Eb G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G Port D. F. A. Port D. F. A.

The tuning of natural minor is based on the natural minor scale and uses the pitch of the judge system. However, it is not played straight , i.e. H. Blow from the first channel, but pull it crosswise , i.e. in the 2nd position from channel 2. If you play the harmonica in the 1st position (blow from 1st channel) a Doric scale is created. The inventor of this mood is Lee Oskar.

Harmonious minor

Harmonious minor, Richter system
Blow C. D # G C. D # G C. D # G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G H D. F. G# H D. F. G#

The harmonic minor tuning does not begin to pull like the natural minor tuning in the 2nd channel, but to blow as usual from the 1st channel. It is based on the harmonic minor scale and uses the division of notes of the Richter system. It sounds a bit like tango or other South American sounds or just like Eastern European folklore (" Katjuscha ").

Doric

Dorian, judge system
Blow C. E. G C. E. G C. E. G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G Port D. F. A. Port D. F. A.

This mood is based on the church mode Doric . As with the natural minor tuning, however, the harmonica begins in the 2nd position, pulling in the 2nd channel. If you play blowing in the 1st position, i.e. 1st channel, a Mixolydian scale is created. This mood is particularly suitable for blues or rock (" All Along the Watchtower ")

Paddy Richter

Paddy Richter
Blow C. E. A. C. E. G C. E. G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G H D. F. A. H D. F. A.

In channel 3 blow this mood is tuned a whole tone higher, which is particularly useful for Irish folk . This is where the name comes from, because Paddy stands for the Irish Michel and Richter for the relationship with the standard tuning. The customizer Brendan Power dedicated himself to this well-known tuning on his CD New Irish Harmonica , both for diatonic and chromatic harmonica. Brandan wrote a school for this mood: Play Irish Music on the Blues Harp .

Melody Maker

Melody Maker
Blow C. E. A. C. E. G C. E. G C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull D. G B. D. F # A. B. D. F. A.

This vibe is a combination of the country vibe and the paddy judge vibe . It was developed by Lee Oskar . Compared to the judge's tuning, the tone in channel 3 blowing was increased by a whole tone and the tones in channel 5 and channel 9 drawing by a semitone . The keynote of the tuning is in channel 2 drag. You can use this mood in Irish folk .

Spiral tuning (also: circular tuning)

Spiral Standard in A minor
Blow G B. D. F. A. C. E. G B. D.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull A. C. E. G B. D. F. A. C. E.

The consecutive arrangement of a scale with an odd number of notes on the usual blow and pull sequence of the harmonica channels means that the notes change from octave to octave and the sequence can be visualized as a spiral.

On the standard spiral in A minor shown, you can play over two and a half octaves in A minor (as well as in C major and all parallel keys) without bends and overblows.

Due to the construction of the harmonica, the division of the scale into bubbles and pulls results in the very musical advantage that all chords of the scale can be played (in the example: C, C6, C7 +, Dm, Dm7, Em, Em7, F, F6 , F7 +, G, G6, G7, Am, Am7, Hdim).

Modern special tunings for chromatic bending play

Augmented

The six-tone augmented scale is continuously distributed over the channels, so that all twelve tones can be played with half-tone and whole-tone pull bends . The arrangement results in a string of excessive chords that sound typically oriental or Spanish.

The augmented mood became known through Eric Chaffer from France.

Augmented
Blow C. E. From C. E. From C. E. From C.
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull Eb G B. Eb G B. Eb G B. Eb

Optimized Blues Tuning

Based on the cross played Richter tuning in the blues harp style, this arrangement optimizes the diatonic harp for the use of the extended (Doric) blues scale

+ predominantly pull tones ( 1 2 b3 4 b5 5 6 b7 b7 8 )
- On the cross played judges tuning, the sixth and the root note in the upper octave can only be played as a blast note.

+ evenly distributed pulling bends (1 2 b3 4 b5 5 6 b7 8)
- The cross played judge's tuning only allows the 2, b3 and b5 and these only in the lower octave as pulling bends; In the upper octave, the b3 must be played as an overblow, the b5 as an overdraw.

+ Uniform octave tone arrangement - The judges' tuning requires different playing patterns
in each octave.

+ chromatic play can be realized by pulling bends (1 b2 2 b3 3 4 b5 5 b6 6 b7 7 8)
- The judge's mood requires draw bends, blow bends, overblows and overdraws for chromatic play.

+ Chords (partly due to the restriction to prime and third and possibly optional tones):
I (Ij7); IV- (IV-11); V (V13); bVII- (bVII-7); bII (bII13); III-
In the example of "Optimized A":
A (Aj7); D- (D-11); E (E13); G- (G-7); Bb (Bb13); C # -
- The cross-played judge's mood lacks in particular the dominant.

Optimized Blues Tuning in A
Blow G 3 Port 3 D 4 F 4 G 4 Port 4 D 5 F 5 G 5 Port 5
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Whole tone bend B 3 F # 4 B 4 F # 5 B 5
Halftone bend G # 3 C 4 D # 4 G 4 G # 4 C 5 D # 5 G 5 G # 5 C 6
Pull A 3 C # 4 E 4 G # 4 A 4 C # 5 E 5 G # 5 A 5 C # 6

Whole tone

Whole tone
Blow From C. E. From C. E. From C. E. From
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10
Pull Port D. F # Port D. F # Port D. F # Port

The whole tone tuning has no semitones. If you use an overlow in every channel, you are able to play fully chromatically. As with Augmented, you only need to learn four patterns to be able to play in each key.

  • SBS (= "Steve Baker Special": Classic Richter tuning extended by three chambers with a lower octave)

Special tuning of the chromatic harmonica

Chordomonica

The Chordomonica, invented by the Chinese virtuoso Cham-Ber Huang, combines the ability to play a sequence of (correct) accompanying chords and still be able to play a (partially) chromatic scale in single notes.

The tones C #, Bb are missing (both can be reached by pulling bending without slide), as well as G # (= Ab, pulling bending with slide not possible because bubbles in the same channel are also A). D # = Eb and F # = Gb are present. The following chords can be played (on a C major instrument):

Without slide:

  • Blowing: Tonica: C major (CEGC)
  • Draw: Dominant seventh: G7 (DFGB)

With the slider pressed:

  • Bubbles results in: Subdominant: F major (CFAC)
  • Dragging results in: diminished seventh chord 1st degree: D # dim7 (D # F # AC)
Chordomonika ( audio sample ? / I )Audio file / audio sample
Bubbles with slider C1 F1 A1 C2 C2 F2 A2 C3 C3 F3 A3 C4
Blow C1 E1 G1 C2 C2 E2 G2 C3 C3 E3 G3 C4
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12
Pull D1 F1 G1 B1 D2 F2 G2 B2 D3 F3 G3 B3
Pull with slider D # 1 F # 1 A1 C2 D # 2 F # 2 A2 C3 D # 3 F # 3 A3 C4

The Chordomonica tuning was patented for the Hohner company since 1965. Since the patent protection expired, there are also replicas, e.g. B. under the market name "choir". Chordomonica instruments are still manufactured today as customized products based on common chromatic harps.

For a short time there was also an extended version with 6 chords, which can be combined with two sliders (Chordomonica II), which was also proposed in the patent mentioned, but is no longer produced today. It is also not possible to replicate them with the usual effort due to the double slider. That is why such instruments fetch enthusiast prices. However, the Chordomonica II does not have 6 freely selectable chords. The second, cranked slider causes a "mixture" of the chords with and without the main slider, i.e. the minor parallel when blowing (for C major: A minor) and the seventh chord of the 2nd degree when drawing.

Judge

The Richter Chromatic Tuning is like a blues harmonica based on the Richter system, as the name suggests. Here the possibility is offered that players who have got used to a blues harp from the course of the game can play a chromatic harmonica. So you have the accompanying chords in channels 1 to 4 again and you don't need any bending or overblowing skills to generate the semitones, but simply press the slider .

Chromatik, Richter System ( audio sample ? / I )Audio file / audio sample
Bubbles with slider Db0 F0 Ab0 Qb1 F1 Ab1 Db2 F2 Starting at 2 Qb3 F3 From 3
Blow C0 E0 G0 C1 E1 G1 C2 E2 G2 C3 E3 G3
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12
Pull D0 G0 B0 D1 F1 A1 B1 D2 F2 A2 B2 D3
Pull with slider Eb0 Ab0 C1 Eb1 F # 1 Bb1 C2 Eb2 F # 2 Bb2 C3 Eb3

Irish

You can often find this special mood as a paddy . With normal chromatics, the tone goes up half a step when you press the slider. In most of the scales of Irish music, the fast phrasing with the slider does not sound so good. For this reason, the tone is lowered by a semitone when the slider is operated in this mood. At the same time, however, the instrument's chromaticity is retained.

Chromatic, Irish
Bubbles with slider B0 Eb1 F # 1 B1 B1 Eb2 F # 2 B2 B2 Eb3 F # 3 B3
Blow C1 E1 G1 C2 C2 E2 G2 C3 C3 E3 G3 C4
channel 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th 9 10 11 12
Pull D1 F1 A1 B1 D2 F2 A2 B2 D3 F3 A3 B3
Pull with slider Qb1 E1 Ab1 Bb1 Db2 E2 Starting at 2 Bb2 Qb3 E3 From 3 Bb3

Further special chromatic tunings

  • Paddy Richter
  • Diminished
  • Augmented
  • Whole tone

criticism

Advocates of the standard Richter tuning and classic chromatics are skeptical of the various special tunings. Their accusation is usually that players with special moods only want to save themselves the time-consuming practice of playing techniques.

List of customizers and manufacturers of special tunings

  • Page of customizers Joe Filisko, Richard Sleigh and James Gordon
  • Page of the customizer Brendan Power with some lists of special tunings
  • Site of the Seydel company with a wide range of handmade special tunings
  • Page by Lee Oskar. He developed the Melody Maker and the Natural Minor tuning
  • Website from the Hohner company , which also offers some special tunings as reed plates for exchange

literature

  • Steve Baker, Hermann Demmler: Harmonica: types, techniques, tone sequences. Hohner / Schott ISBN 3-920468-60-0

Web links

This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on October 27, 2006 .