RE Hybrid?#stacked harmonica

From: "James Archer" <[email protected]

<snip> ,
>Question: If you are using, diatonic C on the lower, and a Db on the upper 
>- this gives you a >complete chromatic scale?



From :  James Freer <[email protected]>


<snip> - "a complete chromatic scale?" No, but a big step closer without 
Chromatic valve problems IMHO.


(Hoping I've got this right):  With Richter-tuned C and Db (or C#?) harps 
you'd still be missing the F# and A in the lowest octave and the B in the 
upper.  If you were adept at it you could retune two of the duplicated low 
octave notes up a semitone to get the missing notes, but that upper B would 
still be a problem unless you're a good blow-bender.  You could always start 
with solo-tuned harps - if you can get one in Db, which I doubt....if I were 
really determined I'd buy two solos in C and retune all the reeds up a 
semitone on one of them (takes nerve but I've done this a couple of times 
before!).Tremolos would be an option but that's a whole new ball-game!  I 
know that the semitone-apart system is used in the Far East but I think it 
would have limitations for a lot of fast music such as my Irish jigs and 
reels and in these instances chromatic harps seem a much better option for 
me.  Yeah, valves, I know... On the other hand, stacking in a reliable 
non-slip way would be exceedingly useful in medleys with key-changes.  For 
Irish, one pair in low D and G and another in low D and A would be great.  A 
triple in D, G and A would be superb if it were achievable!

Steve

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/trad_irish_harmonica
HEAR my CD clips: http://www.gjk2.com/steveshaw/cd.htm
READ review of my CD: http://www.irishmusicreview.com/sshaw.htm




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