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Do you (at least sometimes) play a harp that has Paddy Richter tuning?
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If your answer to question 1) is “no”, then tell us why you don’t play one?
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I got a G and D to follow Brendan Powers Irish Music on the Blues Harp book.
Like and enjoy the tuning and I’m no great shakes at bending accurately and quickly so the change is helpful.
Mine are both Easttop 008K (good and probably the cheapest decent harmonica easily available in paddy richter) although “at some point” I’ll probably pick up some session steels in paddy richter tuning.
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I play Lee Oskar harmonicas and they are Richter tuned.
Ciao
Stefano 
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I’ve decided to stick with standard Richter for many next years, because
- that tuning isn’t still explored by me
- If I will educate somebody, standard Richter is more common (easier, cheaper entry)
- if I will go to some cometition (e.g. WHF), then non-standard tunings are less welcome
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My first use of a Paddy Richter tuned harp was actually an old Lee Oskar that I had and did not particularly like so I got out my little grinding pen and re-tuned the 3 blow reed to be a full step higher than its normal tuning. The result was so pleasing that I still have that Lee Oskar and now enjoy playing it !!
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That is an excellent reason to give Paddy Richter tuning a “test run” !! It is really easy to now play the -3’ when playing the blues (or anything that requires -3’) – and of course the -3" is child’s play (now being simply +3). The fact that -3’‘’ is missing is (for me) no problem at all since I so rarely have needed to play it.
Yes, the Easttop 008K harps are a real bargain and a great choice to try out a Paddy Richter harp !!
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@Carlos1 I don’t play Paddy Richter. I might if I did a lot of Irish kinda stuff, but I don’t often play that style, and I LOVE the -3".
I do occasionally pull one of my Lee Oskar Melody Makers which also has the 3 up a whole step. I generally pull it out for songs that have I -ii chord progression, like Tenessee Whiskey, so that I can have a ii on the blow chord instead of a IV.
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I have been digging one rabbit hole for over 60 years. I play the Standard tuning and only one position. There is enough to explore both technically and musically for 100 years right there. (Remember I said; “Musically” also). I learned to play only single notes and now there is the world of tongue blocking. I am 83. I will never learn it all even standing on one spot and never moving. And the challenge of hole three was placed there miraculously by the universe. Why ruin the fun? (Well there are plenty of reasons to ruin the fun and one of them is “for more fun!”
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Indeed – and that was my primary reason for trying out the Paddy Richter harp. And it worked !! My fun factor almost jumped off the scale !!
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There is the occasional song in our song lists that requires the 3 hole full step bend to be drawn out a bit and playing it perfectly in tune is required. That’s when I use a Paddy tuned harp. Only needed a few keys so the East Tops Paddy tuned were quite satisfactory.
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I just buy harmonicas and play …or at least try too . Special 20’s and blues harps are my main Richters
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- No, never played one.
- Reason: I started a few years back and the natural starting point was (of course) Richter. I play mostly rock, pop, blues(y), and my bends are too bad, so there’s been no compelling reason to try other tunings. And I wanted to be able to do everything I need in Richter, without having to rely on other tunings as a “crutch”.
- HOWEVER … Irish music is REALLY big where I live, and I love how it sounds on harp. Much of it I do fine with, but I’m starting to think that Paddy Richter for a handful of common keys would be pretty cool to have! Common fiddle keys (D, A, G maybe). Why torture yourself not being able to hit that note (whatever it is) dead on, or playing for years before becoming satisfied with it? So I think I’ll try one after all
- QUESTION: In Paddy tuning, the note you’d normally find on the 3 draw full bend, is now available as the 3 blow, correct? Are your 3 draw bends also changed in any way?
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Yes. Let me explain using a C harp where your -3 (3 draw) is the note B. With a “normal” Richter-tuned harp you can play 3 bends on hole 3.
The first bend (-3’) gives you the note Bb (B flat) and it is also that way with a Paddy harp. But that is all there is with the Paddy.
With the “normal” blues harp you still have 2 more bends available on hole 3: The 2nd bend (-3’‘) is the note A and the 3rd bend (-3’‘’) is the note Ab (A flat).
So on a Paddy harp there is only that first -3’ note available on 3 draw.
This applies to all Paddy-tuned harps on hole 3 draw, only the note changes according the key of the harp. So on a Paddy harp in the key of D, -3’ is the note C, etc.
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Thanks! I kind of figured it out after I posted my question, when I started down a bit of rabbitt hole of alternate tunings.
But your explanation is really clear and confirmed my understanding of it perfectly!
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Perfect explanation. As an added feature , since I valve my harps, I can get the Ab (C Harp) by blow bending hole 3.
I must be attaching my valves incorrectly: the blow bends are very weak and difficult to hold (such as for a half-note). Or are these notes more like “passing notes”? Your tips or insights would be much appreciated
A lot of the time for me, they are passing tones. But I can play them sustained. I’ve been playing over 60 years so it comes pretty natural for me. Not being able to see your “valve job” I’m not able to comment on your technique but if you do it like most of the you tube tutorials, you should be doing it ok?
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OK, I’ll continue working on it.