If I play Golden Melodies in multiple playing positions, which tuning would be for me?  To I keep them in 12TET?  I rarely play chords, but do play a lot of octaves.   Thanks, Mike Fugazzi Harmonica/Vocals http://www.myspace.com/mikefugazzi Music should be healing; music should uplift the soul; music should inspire. There is no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of attaining spiritual perfection than music, if only it is rightly understood. -Hazrat Inayat Khan _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

If I play Golden Melodies in multiple playing positions, which tuning would be for me?  To I keep them in 12TET?  I rarely play chords, but do play a lot of octaves. The intonation of the harmonica will not affect the octaves, since the same note in different octaves should be tuned to the same pitch.  It's the relative pitch between other intervals that varies with intonation. If you don't play chords, then just or compromise intonation won't be of any use to you, since it's only a benefit when interval notes are sounded together.   As you imply with your question, some intonation choices might be problematic in some positions.  For example, if you play in 12th position, one of the tonic notes is the 5 draw (F on a C harp).  In Hohner's compromise intonation this note will be tuned more than 10 cents flat.  In 7-limit just intonation, it would be more than a quarter tone flat.   -tim _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

As you imply with your question, some intonation choices might be problematic in some positions.  For example, if you play in 12th position, one of the tonic notes is the 5 draw (F on a C harp).  In Hohner's compromise intonation this note will be tuned more than 10 cents flat.  In 7-limit just intonation, it would be more than a quarter tone flat.   Great observation, thanks.  What tunings do people who play in 12 position usually prefer - equal temperment? ron _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

Great observation, thanks.  What tunings do people who play in 12 position usually prefer - equal temperment? Obviously, there's no one right answer.  The best temperament for a tuning is probably best dictated by the _style_ of the p_layer_.  The original poster said he rarely used chords, and that he played in different positions, but never mentioned 12th specifically.  I just picked that as an example.  In another example, just intonation would place the 2, 5 and 8 blow notes - E on a C harp and the tonic in 5th position - something like 14 cents flat of 12TET.   Someone who rarely plays chords is not going to get a lot of benefit from a temperament that optimizes the consonance of chords, but might see some problems with the intonation of individual notes.  The deviation from 12TET and where those notes fall in the scale will make that more or less of a problem.  Another issue might be the need to double other chromatic instruments.  Those p_layer_s would probably be better served by 12TET.   -tim _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

Great observation, thanks.  What tunings do people who play in 12 position usually prefer - equal temperment? Obviously, there's no one right answer.  The best temperament for a tuning is probably best dictated by the _style_ of the p_layer_.  The original poster said he rarely used chords, and that he played in different positions, but never mentioned 12th specifically.  I just picked that as an example.  In another example, just intonation would place the 2, 5 and 8 blow notes - E on a C harp and the tonic in 5th position - something like 14 cents flat of 12TET. Someone who rarely plays chords is not going to get a lot of benefit from a temperament that optimizes the consonance of chords, but might see some problems with the intonation of individual notes.  The deviation from 12TET and where those notes fall in the scale will make that more or less of a problem.  Another issue might be the need to double other chromatic instruments.  Those p_layer_s would probably be better served by 12TET. -tim _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l

Wow, I had been testing by bends against an online tuner by ear.  I thought I was spot on, but my Kory would disagree.  Back to the wood shed!!!  _______________________________________________ Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l