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Twelve-hole slide harp with 2.3 chromatic octaves, 14 different chords and easy diatonic play

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 6:51 pm
by IaNerd
NAME: Not yet sure. Thinking about “Goldschmidt/Sowards Gen. 2 tuning”


BASIC CONCEPT:
In the original “Goldschmidt/Sowards” tuning, I distributed the twelve semitones of an octave among three banks/layers of reeds, and among four channels/holes of the harp. There were no missing semitones and no repeated semitones.

In this variation on that model, I distribute the twelve semitones among the same three banks/layers of reeds, but this time among five channels/holes. This allows for all the accidentals to occupy one layer (activated with the Slide In), while all of the naturals (some of which are repeated) occupy the remaining two Slide Out layers.


WHEN/HOW: September of 2017. I have not yet have one made.


LAYOUT/DETAILS:
Thinking in terms of the harp having four banks/layers of reeds, I will show this specific example:

Layer for Slide-In Blow: Accidental A#, then the five accidentals from C# to A#, repeat, then accidental C#.
Layer for Slide-In Draw: One half (i.e. either upper or lower reeds) of Spiral/Circular/Zirkular/Helical tuning. In this example, we have: C – E – G – B – D – F – A, repeat.
Layer for the Slide-Out Blow: Natural A, then the five naturals from C through A, repeat, then natural C.
Layer for the Slide-Out Draw: Natural B, then the five naturals from D through B, repeat, then natural D.

Observe how all the Slide Out Draw notes can be bent by one semitone. This makes playing chromatically (and in the minor hexatonic blues scale in G) possible with or without the use of the slider notes.

ADDENDUM, October 27, 2020: Note that the slide-out layer is essentially Pentabender -- which I did not realize at the time of the original posting.

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Re: Twelve-hole slide harp with 2.3 chromatic octaves, 14 different chords and easy diatonic play

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 1:18 pm
by rickherman
Thanx for these chords!

Re: Twelve-hole slide harp with 2.3 chromatic octaves, 14 different chords and easy diatonic play

Posted: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:23 pm
by IaNerd
In another (related) topic, Brendan pointed out that the chords to the right side of this harp are too high in pitch to be very useful.

I believe I have solved this problem. Part of the solution is his suggestion to use side-by-side Big Sixes, so that the "chord layer" doesn't become too high in pitch towards the right end of the harp. And so I offer this:

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