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Forums :: Ask Harmonica Expert Winslow Yerxa

My harmonica tuner setting

3 replies [Last post]
Wed, 03/07/2018 - 06:33
Thankyou
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I am trying to work on harmonica tuning . In my iphone tuner app I can see

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/y1R7qJCgsfhQy4wl1

 

What should I choose?  

 

I am going to tune Manji diatonic,  Hohner marine band

 

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Wed, 03/07/2018 - 10:21
#1
Expert Winslow Yerxa
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Joined: 01/16/2010
Choose equal temperament (ET)

Choose equal temperament (ET) on the tuner, and then offset from those values by the number of cents that correspond with the temperament that you choose for your harmonica.

You will see tuning charts for different temperaments, either used and recommended by different players or customizers, or standard for a particular model of harmonica. 

Those charts will always show offsets from equal temperament. For instance, let's say Blow 1, 4, 7 and 10 are all at 0. Blow 3, 6, and 9 will usually be at +2 (2 cents higher than ET) and Blow 2, 5, and 8 will be anywhere from 0 to -14 (14 cents lower than ET).

So the easiest way to tune using a tuning chart is to use ET and then vary from it according to the tuning chart.

Also, choose your reference pitch. The standard reference pitch is A440. That is, A bove Middle C vibrating at 440 vibrations per second. But harmonicas are usually tuned higher so that when player's breath depresses pitch, the harmonica won't be flat.

Most harmonica players tune to A441, 442, or 443 (I use 442). Harmonicas from the factory can be tuned much higher, as high as A446.

How to choose for yourself? Get a harp that's reasonalby new so that it hasn't gone flat, and play it against a backing track or your guitar, piano, whatever. Record yourself and listen to the harmonica relative to the other sounds. Does it sound in tune, or off? If it sounds in tune, choeck Blow 4 against your tuner and you'll get an idea where its pitch level is relative to A440. You can also set the tuner itself to a range anywhere from about A436 to A446. Play around with this setting until you figure out what the harp seems to be tuned to, and use that if it seems to wokk when playing along with a reference.

How do you find tuning charts for different models of harmonica? They're all over the place. You can search on a model name along with "temperament" or "Intonation" or "tuning". One excellent resource on harmonica tuning is Pat Missin. Here's one of his pages where he discusses the standard tuning for the Manji:

http://www.patmissin.com/tunings/tun6.html

And here's a list of tuning charts, including the Manji, from Parbeque Bob Maglinte, another very knowledgeable resource:

http://www.harmonicaspace.com/harmonica-forum/maintenance-repair-customi...

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Fri, 03/09/2018 - 05:11
#2
Thankyou
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Thanks for your response.

Thanks for your response. Please let me know if I understood you correctly.  You are telling me to

1. Set up my tuner on equal temperemant

and 2 . do the setting A=442

3. Then for example go to the site harmonicaspace and tune my Manji as shown in there

 

Suzuki Manji Tuning

------------------------------------

BLOW  0 -5  0  0  -5  0  0  -5 0 0

HOLE# 1 2  3  4    5  6  7  8  9 10

DRAW  0 0 -5  0    0  0 -5  0  0 0

  And also  learning from all information I must use minimum breath when tuning with same embouchure.

?  Please correct me if I am wrong

 

Thanks

 

 

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Fri, 03/09/2018 - 20:17
#3
Expert Winslow Yerxa
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Looks good. The A442 setting

Looks good.

The A442 setting may or may not be optiimal for you individually. It is for me and for a lot of the players I talk to, but everyone is different.

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