Slidemeister (Chromatic & related only - no Diatonic discussion) > Alternate Tunings
True Chromatic vs. Power Chromatic vs. other?
Gnarly He Man:
One of the reasons I use specialty tuned harmonicas (and I consider both True Chromatic and Power Chromatic tunings to be a specialty) is to be able to execute things which are more difficult (the same way I would require a Polyphonia if I were to attempt to play Flight of the Bumblebee).
These tunings, however, were designed to be replacements of solo tuning.
I am not that brave.
Practice is the answer--what was the question? ??? ::)
oldstudent:
--- Quote from: A.J.Fedor on March 13, 2012, 10:53:20 AM ---I'd be tempted to argue that BeBop is such a mild mod that hardly even qualifies as an Alternate tuning, no?
--- End quote ---
Let me point out that Bebop and the pentatonic tunings share basic logic.
Select a group of 8 consecutive notes in the circle of fifths (say F,C,G,D,A,E,B,F#). A major scale is 7 consecutive notes, so this group will contain two major scales. Now take the first note (approached clockwise in the circle of fifths) of the group (F) and make it a blow note. Find the next higher note among your selected group (F#) and make it the draw note in the same hole. Then find the next higher note among your selected group (G) and make it the next blow note to the right. Continue until you fill a 4-hole octave and repeat. You have made a diatonic harp with bebop tuning ([blow/draw] sequence: [F/F#] [G/A] [B/C] [D/E]). Add a button that raises everything a semitone and you have a Chromatic bebop tuned harmonica.
Now do the same thing but select a group of 10 consecutive notes in the circle of fifths (say F,C,G,D,A,E,B,F#,C#,G#). This group will contain 4 major scales. Again start with the first note (approached clockwise in the circle of fifths) of the group (F) as a blow note. Find the next higher note among your selected group (F#) and make it the draw note in the same hole. Then find the next higher note among your selected group (G) and make it the next blow note to the right. Continue until you fill a 5-hole octave and repeat. You have made a diatonic harp with fourkey tuning ([blow/draw] sequence: [F/F#] [G/G#] [A/B] [C/C#] [D/E]). Add a button that raises everything a semitone and you have a Chromatic Legato harmonica.
Gnarly He Man:
Very interesting!
jazmaan:
There ought to be some kind of prize for people who make such astute observations! :o ;)
jazmaan:
On a possibly related note you should check out Walter Bishop's Theory of Fourths video on YouTube. It arose out of a simple but intriguing challenge: Play the entire Circle of Fourths within just one octave. That led to all kinds of discoveries which are outlined in his video.
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