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From: Pat Missin
Date: Sun, 1 Sep 1996 15:55:06 +0100
Subject: Re: Chromatic tunings

Respect due to Winslow for a concise, but informative look at altered
tunings for the chrom. Whilst the short harp is my usual musical tool, I
have experimented with chromatics quite a bit. In particular, about five
years ago, I set up a 10 hole chrom in what Siegfried calls "Tonie" tuning
(augmented chords) and, OK, there is a lack of different harmonies in here,
but for playing octave lines, it beats the hell out of anything else I've
played. However, it was none too bluesy, unlike the diminished chord tuning
(known as "Cat", by a few British players) which gives you loads of minor
third intervals and hence, lots of bluesy trills. I also set up a 10-hole
diatonic with the whole-tone arpeggio - I'm sure if it was the only harp I
had, I'd learn to play it really well! It has loads of advantages, but
sounds really lifeless unless it's valved and even then, I didn't find it
especially satisfying. Far more fun was a 12-hole chrom I set up like this,
adding quartertones with the slide (from an idea by Dr. John Yeadon). It
gives just short of two full octaves of 24 notes each and whilst I don't
really use it to play 24-tone music, it can play some really snakey blues
phrases. Again, if it all my other harps get stolen, I might learn to play
this one properly.

Anyway, for those of you curious about altered chroms, my tunings collection
(AS10.zip) features about a couple of dozen tunings specifically for chrom
(and I'm sure many of the other tunings would be apllicable to the
chromatic, also). I have just been told that Mac users with the right
software (Mac GZip??) can also read a standard zip file, so if you want a
copy, all you have to do is ask and I shall email. If anyone out there would
like to place the collection on a web site, it would be most appreciated.

Later,

Pat Missin - pa~lobalnet.co.uk

"...my music's a lot better than it sounds!" (with apologies to Mark Twain)
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