NEW HARPS: Lucky 13 in Solo and PowerChromatic Tunings

[Sachlaw]

My Lucky 13s PowerChromatics in the keys of G and D just hit the mailbox this morning. Just a couple of weeks from ordering. Not bad timing for a package from China to Beaumont, Texas.


These harps are great. I have yet to be disappointed with anything from Easttop. The fit and finish on the new model is great and they are very airtight OOTB. It is going to be nice to have this tuning easily accessible in my pocket!

I hope we get enough demand on to justify Easttop making more keys. I would definitely order a set.

[Sachlaw]

I am right that in power chromatic the bends are what you call a half step on a standard richter diatonic?

Response: Yes.

For every octave, with power chromatic you get 8 notes plus 4 with bends compared to 8 plus 2 on solo tunning - is that right?
If yes, with power chromatic you only lose 1 of the 13 notes in an octave compared to a full chromatic (8 notes and 5 sharps/flats).

Response: I am not sure on the comparison, but on the PC you get the 8 notes with no bends, one of which repeats, so really 7 distinct notes.

With bends on the draw, you get 4 more. With bends on the blow (its is halfvalved) you will get one more unique bend on the blow hole to the left of the key it is stamped in. (IE if you get a D, then you will be able to valve /blow bend the B, giving you a B flat. The other blowbends will match the clean draws notes except your repeating note, which for a D turned one is E.

Last question, does the G power chromatic start on G3 and the D on D4?

Response: Someone else needs to pipe in on this one.

I have to say from a non musician point of view the power chromatic layout seems much more logical and has the bonus that all draw notes are higher than the blow. The only downside is a lack of tabs on the internet! Not too hard to turn tabs into notes, then re tab for power chromatic I suppose.


Response: I would not worry to much about the lack of tabs. The melodies will come about faster than you think with only one true breath pattern. In my personal experience, I have been keeping a D tuned PC (a retuned Suzuki chromatic) handy and just try to pick out anything I hear. A good way to get used to the movement is figure out the what starts from a particular hole and find a song that lends itself to that mode. For example, Santana's Smooth can be a great backing track for the Dorian mode. (you can use your G PC harp for that one.) There is another thread in this forum started by Gnarly PC where some people discuss the mode/positions in detail.

Another way is to just learn what a pentatonic scale is supposed to sound like and work up the holes.

Sorry for all the inane questions, I am a newbie!

@DanPa Check out this link on the PC tuning: http://www.brendan-power.com/forum/view ... p?f=7&t=11

[DanPa]

Thank you @sachlaw
Am resisting ebay bargains in order to get a lucky 13 in power chromatic G

[DanPa]

Hi Brendan, can you let me know if the G power chromatic starts on G3 and the D on D4?

Plus on your site you can only order the power chromatic in C and G (same as the solo)?

Cheers Dan

[Brendan]

The D PowerChromatic starts on D3, it's lower then the G.

Only D and G keys available in PC at present. But you can easily play in the key of C on both of them using draw bends.

[Sachlaw]

@DanPa
FYI on your question re the keys. I find it a bit easier to play in the key C on the G tuned LKY13PC. (of course this may depend on what you are playing)

Starting in C, which is 3 hole blow, you have the C Lydian in the natural breath pattern of the harp. Your only challenge (in the event you want to play the bent third) is the Eb. You can play a nice fat octave in C.

If you buy the D tuned LKY13PC, your tonic note (C) will be a bent draw note. So you lose the octave, but your Eb/D# and Gb/F# are easy (as in not as challenging) draw bends.

I mainly find myself playing the D in the key of E and the G in the key of A, which are the dorian modes of those respective harps. If you find yourself a song that is centered around dorian, or just simple get a backing track in dorian (there are tons), it is a great way to learn the breath pattern.

You can always just buy one and retune it to major C. If you take a G major and lower the E, F#, G, and A to D, E, F, and G, you will have a C tuned with you C starting on the 3 blow. You can do this with all blu-tak (since you are only going down), and not actually cut on the harp.

[Brendan]

I'm glad to hear you're getting into re-tunings of the new Solo and PowerChromatic Lucky 13 harps Sachlaw.

They lend themselves to some nice options: the same tuning in different keys, alternate tunings like Diminished, or the above with small variations...

Using Blu-tack is a great way to do minor retunings on harmonicas, up to 3 or 4 semitones. Since it's instantly reversible and non-damaging you can test new tunings quickly, as well as use the same harmonica to switch between different tunings if you keep the appropriate sized dab of Blu-tack on the reed head or reedplate next to the reed. Here is some info on when it was first used on harmonicas:

http://www.brendan-power.com/harpgeeks.php#Blu-Tack

[Sachlaw]

"if you keep the appropriate sized dab of Blu-tack on the reed head or reedplate next to the reed."

@Brendan,
What did you mean by putting it on the reedplate next to the reed? I have just put it on the reed in the past? Am I missing an application. I didn't catch it from the posting.

[Brendan]

I meant put it near the reed when it's not in use. Eg. For the 5 raised draw in Country Tuning - you can lower the tuning lo standard Richter by sticking on the correct size dab of Blu Tack you have sitting ready nearby, back on the reed.

[Lizzy]

There seems to be several options to purchase a harmonica with powerchromatic tuning.
Chromatic:
Seydel Saxony(custom shop) More Expensive
Seydel Deluxe Steel(custom shop) More Expensive
Diatonic:
Seydel Soloist pro steel 12 hole(custom shop) Less Expensive
Lucky 13 Cheapest but:
Dont know how much is added on vat and tariff on Lucky 13 since the Swedish postal service since a while back decided to punish all asian countries because of the large import to Sweden. If i buy something for 1$ i must pay ~8-10$ before custom let it go. Since then i have not done any purchase from asia. I have bought from U. S several times without any trouble. But for now on EU is the only way to import without vat or tariff that is added on my purchase.