Hohner Pentaharp

Slim · November 15, 2021, 3:33pm

So, Blues Harpists, here is my follow-up about my Seydel 1847 "PentaHarp".

I ordered a “PentaHarp” (which I will refer to as the PH harp to save typing) in the key of G for two reasons: (1) to see just how well such a harp plays, (2) to get a PentaHarp for playing Bb scales of various sorts that I can use when playing along with my “jazz” buddies who often play tunes that use Bb scales. I also ordered the harp with all of the draw note reed slots valved (if you do not understand what that is, don’t worry about it because it really is not so important unless you are really into more advanced playing techniques).

Although the G PH is probably easiest for beginners to play in the key of G minor (because all you need to do is to be able to play single notes and to draw and blow), I do not like to use it for that. Why? Because a couple of the very expressive notes for playing blues in G minor turn out to be blow notes. In particular G and D, rather than the blues-player’s favorite draw notes (which permit much more expressive playing). Also you cannot gradually bend around between D and Db because D is a blow note while Db is a draw note on a different hole! How unfortunate … but read on, because the good stuff is yet to come.

Don’t misunderstand me: the G PH is really easy to play G minor for beginners and is super for guitatrists who have the harp in a harp holder around their neck so that their hands are free to play the guitar while they still can play the harp at the same time. But I (personally) cannot get the expressiveness in G minor with the G PH that I can get with a plain C diatonic harp played in 2nd position.

To understand all of this better, here is a chart of the holes and the notes obtained from those holes on a plain C diatonic harp and the G PH.

The tabs on the left are for a plain C diatonic harp and the tabs on the right are for a G PentaHarp:

```
   C-harp  G-PH  Tone
```
```
            +1'    Gb  (valved PH) X
```
```
            +1     G    X
```
```
            -1"    Ab   X
```
```
            -1'    A    X
```
```
            -1     Bb   X
```
```
            +2'    B    X
```
```
     +1     +2     C
```
```
     -1'    -2     Db
```
```
     -1     +3     D
```
```
     +1o    -3"    Eb
```
```
     +2     -3'    E
```
```
     -2"    -3     F
```
```
     -2'    +4'    F#  (valved PH)
```
```
    -2/+3   +4     G
```
```
     -3'"   -4"    Ab
```
```
     -3"    -4'    A
```
```
     -3'    -4     Bb
```
```
     -3     +5'    B   (valved PH)
```
```
     +4     +5     C
```
```
     -4'    -5     Db
```
```
     -4     +6     D
```
```
     +4o    -6"    Eb
```
```
     +5     -6'    E
```
```
     -5     -6     F
```
```
     +5o    +7'    F#  (valved PH)
```
```
     +6     +7     G
```
```
     -6'    -7"    Ab
```
```
     -6     -7'    A
```
```
     +6o    -7     Bb
```
```
     -7     +8'    B   (valved PH)
```
```
     +7     +8     C
```
```
     -7o    -8     Db
```
```
     -8     +9     D
```
```
     +8'    -9"    Eb
```
```
     +8     -9'    E
```
```
     -9     -9     F
```
```
     +9'   +10'    F#  (valved PH)
```
```
     +9    +10     G
```
```
     -9o   +10'    Ab  (valved PH)
```
```
    -10    -10'    A
```
```
    +10"   -10     Bb
```
```
    +10'           B   X
```
```
    +10            C   X
```
```
    -10o           Db  X
```

The lines that end with X are for notes that can only be played on the G PH (the first six lines) or only on the plain C diatonic (the last three lines).

Note also: for the G PH, only blow, draw, draw single bend, draw double bend and blow single bend are used for all of the indicated notes – no overdraws, no overblows, no double blow bends, no triple draw bends !!!

A close examination of the above chart will show you that you can use the G PH to really have fun playing the Bb scales (by the way, this means that you are playing the G PH in 10th position): Bb minor scale, Bb minor pentatonic pentatonic, Bb minor blues, Bb Lydian scale, Bb Major, Bb Major pentatonic, Bb Major blues.

There are quite a few other scales that you can also play on the G PH (such as F Major, F Maj pentatonic, F Maj blues, F min pentatonic, D min pentatonic, D min blues, and more).

I will leave you with the above chart to stimulate your brain cells. Do not forget that other PH harps can be made besides just the G. Basically you can order (from Seydel) a PentaHarp (although they do not use that name) in any key! So the blues harp universe has become much more interesting with this new type of harp tuning.

Regards,
– Slim