Search found 914 matches

by Brendan
Mon Jun 30, 2025 2:17 pm
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: Lucky 13 Retune to A
Replies: 3
Views: 25

Re: Lucky 13 Retune to A

Just the A & B areas
by Brendan
Sun Jun 29, 2025 5:30 am
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: Lucky 13 Retune to A
Replies: 3
Views: 25

Re: Lucky 13 Retune to A

I'm a bit confused about your opening sentence. The standard Richter Lucky 13 (as well as several other tunings) does come in A. But AFAIK you're talking about Diminished Tuning here? In that case you will need to do a retune. I think you're making a mountain out of a molehill on this issue. If you ...
by Brendan
Tue Jun 03, 2025 9:25 pm
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: Diminished Lucky 13
Replies: 5
Views: 5200

Re: Diminished Lucky 13

It was a conscious and logical decision to half-valve the Diminished Lucky 13. As Jason Rogers said, the valves do give you isolated-reed bends on the blow notes if you want them. However my main reason was that half-valving balances up the expression and volume on draw and blow reeds. With them in ...
by Brendan
Sun May 18, 2025 7:31 pm
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: Fast Wide Intervals on Harmonica
Replies: 1
Views: 4258

Fast Wide Intervals on Harmonica

Many Irish & American fiddle tunes incorporate rapid repeating wide intervals into their melodies. These "fast jumps" are virtually impossible on regular harmonicas, but this clip of the popular session tune 'Drowsy Maggie' shows how they CAN be played on alternate types. The tune is i...
by Brendan
Thu May 15, 2025 11:36 pm
Forum: Interesting Alternative Harmonica Ideas
Topic: Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica
Replies: 2
Views: 7654

Re: Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica

There's an extra bonus of having a slide harmonica tuned in fifths, or using the fifths-up button on the DM48X, besides the fast repeated wide interval notes. Even though this clip has a range of over one octave (hole 5 to hole 9 on a normal G chromatic), using the top buttons on the DM48X I can pla...
by Brendan
Thu May 15, 2025 12:06 am
Forum: Interesting Alternative Harmonica Ideas
Topic: Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica
Replies: 2
Views: 7654

Re: Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica

Being able to get these techniques on Midi harmonica has made me think about what modifications might be required to make them possible on 'real' harmonicas (ones with free reeds instead of breath sensors). There are a couple of good options. The simplest one is to make a slide harmonica in fifths, ...
by Brendan
Wed May 14, 2025 9:30 pm
Forum: Interesting Alternative Harmonica Ideas
Topic: Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica
Replies: 2
Views: 7654

Fast Wide Intervals & 5-Note Rolls on MIDI Harmonica

Midi Harmonica enables several playing techniques that are impossible on traditional types. Fast wide intervals and 5-note rolls (a type of mordant or decoration) are examples of such Achilles heels of the standard analogue harmonica. However they're commonly heard in Irish & American fiddle tun...
by Brendan
Thu Apr 17, 2025 12:43 am
Forum: Interesting Alternative Harmonica Ideas
Topic: Controllable Pitch Bending on Midi Harmonica
Replies: 0
Views: 2638

Controllable Pitch Bending on Midi Harmonica

Ever since I started playing MIDI harmonica when the Lekholm DM48 first came out (now the DM48X), I've found the lack of ability to bend notes as I do on my regular harps (half-valved diatonics and chromatics in custom tunings) quite frustrating! The original model only enabled bending based on brea...
by Brendan
Mon Apr 07, 2025 3:50 am
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: Powerdraw v Powerbender
Replies: 2
Views: 2885

Re: Powerdraw v Powerbender

Considering your background and primary playing of the harp for Blues, PowerDraw is your best option I think. It's identical to the standard Richter harp you're familiar with in holes 1-6, and aft that you can continue draw bending all the way to hole 10. PowerBender is better for easy chromaticism,...
by Brendan
Fri Apr 04, 2025 5:32 pm
Forum: Brendan's Custom Harmonicas, Tunings, etc
Topic: PowerBender Versus EdHarmonica
Replies: 32
Views: 122351

Re: PowerBender Versus EdHarmonica

"FYI, I believe Richard Sleigh messed with it in the early days too, but probably after you." Not sure about that, but I know Richard made some harps that repeated the bottom octave of Richter: CD. EG. GB. CD. EG. GB. CD. EG. GB. CD I asked him to make me one in the early 90s, which I call...