Tuning
Hello Kinya
I have harmonicas that I am arranging, they are out of tune, and other harmonicas I am cleaning them. I saw the videos of Harp Tech Study 3 and Rick Trankle, and I have several doubts. I hope that you could help me.
I like to play the harmonica golden melody, it is very easy to modify for the overblows. these are the harmonicas that I am arranging. My doubts are:
1. Which the measure in Hz of the golden melody. 440, 441 or 442? the channels be in tone in the same hz?? for example, all tones in 440, or all in 441 or all in 442 ... or there are variations, for example: C in 440, D in 441, or E in 443, etc....
2. In Rick Trankle's video to appears one tabla with measures, the measures depend on the type of harmonica. For the harmonica golden melody, both blow and draw, the measure is +8, all channels. In this video Rick explains - very fats - this measure, but I not understanding what it means. Could you to explain it to me???
excuse me for my english, I hope that I am not so confused.
thank you very much,
Mauricio
Hello Kinya, thanks for attending to my doubts.
I use a tuning software. it's a plugin (waves, gtr 3), this one works with pro tools. In one day I tried my harmonicas with a tuning for internet. The harmonicas are new. I was changing the measure of the hz in the chromatic tuning until the tone was exact. The tone of my chromatic harmonica (Hohner CX-12) was --more or less-- 444 hz and of the golden melody 442 hz. But, for example, in the golden melody some holes were not in 442 hz.. Some holes were high or lower, for example: 441 or 440, or 443 or 444 hz..
For this reason my question on the measure in Hz of the golden melody and if all the holes have the same hz.
I want to buy a chromatic tuning but I do not know if there is the special one for harmonica, for this reason I have not bought it. Can you recommend me a mark and model?
Also, as I am cleaning my harmonicas. I saw your video and the video of Rick Trankle. I do not understand this:
Original Blues Tuning Cent Offsets from Equal Temperament
Hole 1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7-----8-----9----10
Blow 0__-14__+2__0..etc…
Draw +4-_+2__-12…..etc…
Golden Melody
Hole 1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7-----8-----9----10
Blow +8...... all holes.
Draw +8..... all holes.
thanks a lot
Hi Mauricio,
It appears that we are stuck between the two distinctions used in tuning:
> Hertz
> Cents
Most Harp-Techs find calibrating in cents to be more convenient than hertz. It sounds like your software is hertz based?
Maybe we can fix this without you purchasing a chromatic tuner. Which type of computer equipment do you prefer?
> PC Windows Computer
> Apple Computer
> Apple iPhone
> Apple iPad
> Android Smart Phone
~Kinya
Hi Kinya
I use this tuner chomtatic for PC:
http://www.seventhstring.com/tuner/tuner.html
This tuner chomatic has HZ and Cents. +8 cents is equal to 442 hz. I Don't Know If It's Right.
Mauricio
Hello Mauricio
I hope during my hiatus, you did not throw your harmonicas into the toilet! First of all, stop worrying about the Hz ~ Cents conversion.
As an analogy, imagine your bicycle tire has a pin size hole. Although the air leak is slow, you are concerned that because you ride with all your harmonicas, plus the Fender Bassman amp, the weight may expedite the tire going flat (a reasonable concern I must say). Your remedy, therefore was to pump slightly more air into the tire than usual, so that you would have a surplus amount of tire pressure.
So with your Seventh String tuning software you will move your "default" Hertz from 440Hz up to 442Hz. This way you will have surplus "sharpness" (#) and not have to worry about playing out-of-tune (b) than the band (harmonicas players tend to de-tune their instruments with all the passionate huffing and puffing they do).
The reason for tuning each pitch slightly higher (#) and lower (b), is that when two or more notes are played at the same time (chord)--they will produce a more pleasing sound. Piano tuners have been tuning this way since time immemorial.
The various tuning strategies, i.e. Just Intonation, Equal Temperament are simply different recipes that will give the listener more interesting choices. Having said that, if you are interested in learning the processes of tuning, I strongly recommend that you develop your fundamental tuning techniques by tuning all reeds to "0" (zero) first, then you can expand into different tuning modes. In fact, if you favor hornlike-single not playing styles, tuning to zero sounds pretty good ;o)
Your Harpsmith,
Kinya
Hi Mauricio,
I think I see the confusion. Before I jump in, please advise me as to the Make and Model of your chromatic tuning device.
~Kinya