Favorite Tuning(s)

[LoneStar]

Does anybody have any experience playing other tunings such as 7 Limit Just Intonation or any others that they really enjoy? Why do you like it?

[yuriythebest]

I have a Paddy G tuned harp - I initially got it for irish music/jigs but found it super useful for other stuff as well since if you shift into the lower octave it opens up lots of possibilities - like having a swiss army knife in that you get “both”, in a sense

[Carlos1]

I really like the Power Bender tuning developed by B. Power. Seydel sells them under the “Specialties” section of their web store. Mr. Power also sells them on his web site.

[JanDomanski]

I met interesting harmonica swiss player Mattias Ernst. He made bunch of custom harmonicas with custom tunings for many exotic genres (bulgar, arabian, etc). He just replaces standards reeds with other reeds configurations to achieve non-standard tunings.

[Luke]

I love Parrott-tuned harmonica (-7 down a half-step for 2nd position blues or 3rd position Natural Minor) Natural Minor and Country Tuned (-5 raised a half-step) harmonicas. I use them all the time!!

Here’s an old thread on the subject:

Different Tuning Harmonicas

Welcome to the exciting rabbit hole of alternate tuned harmonicas! OK, so besides regular tuned harmonicas, I have lot of experience playing the NATURAL MINOR harmonicas. Of course, I’m a Lee Oskar guy right now so I’m playing LO’s, but Hohner also makes NATURAL MINORS. These tunings are so great not only for playing minor blues, but also for playing harmonica with a lot of Reggae, Hip Hop, Pop, and Latin music, to name a few, that are in minor keys. You can hear me playing one on a hip hop tr…

Another one here:

Natural Minor Will Explode Your Harp Game (+ Natural Mystic on Am w/Tabs)

[Natural Minor Will Explode Your Harp Game] Standard tuned harps are awesome. MOST of the time I play standard 10-hole diatonic harmonicas. When we say “Standard tuned harp” we are referring to the Richter tuning, named after the 19th century harmonica maker Joseph Richter: Blow holes play the chord in the key of the harmonica, and draw holes 1-4 play the dominant V7 chord (a G chord on a C harmonica). The major scale in the key of the harmonica is played between holes 4 and 7. …

LMK if any questions…

[KeroroRinChou]

I pretty much divide my favorite tunings into two different categories: temperment and alternate tunings.

For my favorite temperment, I’d always go for equal temp. I always loved the Hohner Golden Melody as a harmonica player and their sound when applied in ways that are deemed to be “not correct”, especially in regards to the blues. Harmonica players, especially those who claim to play “real blues”, care way too much about how temperments should be used. I remember constantly being told for years how I need to play melodies instead of bluesy licks on my Golden Melodies or how I need to switch to a “better suited” harmonica like a Hohner Marine Band. However, I just do my own thing instead and not listen to these so-called “pros” who want me to change for their sake.

For my favorite alternate tuning, I’ve only tried one and that’s the Parrott Tuning (7 draw tuned down a half step). I actually have a huge soft spot for this tuning because this was the first alternate tuning I ever got. I have a Golden Bird harmonica I received as a gift from Todd Parrott, my teacher and the tuning’s most well-known user, back when I first started lessons with him. The tuning’s great for playing 2nd position minor stuff on the high end.

[Carlos1]

@KeroroRinChou

For my favorite temperment, I’d always go for equal temp

I 100% agree !! I probably like it so much because I also play the flute. Therefore I almost exclusively play melodies and find the other temperments sound “out of tune” when used for melody playing.

[BnT]

All of my (non-minor) harps are tuned Comprised Just. Can I explain that? No. Kinya Pollard, the Harpsmith, who tunes all of my harps, explained to me how some tunings (7th limit, etc) are achieved. His harps “just sound good.”