Brendan Power & Alternative Harmonicas Forum

Recently I've been creating some new experimental harps to allow me to play the fast wide intervals common in fiddle tunes, which are so difficult on harmonica!

I made an earlier post describing the advantages of using two keys a fifth apart behind a slider. The obvious way to do this is by configuring a chromatic harmonica with reedplates a fifth apart (eg. G/D, or LowD/A). I demonstrated it there in a video clip or two.

That's good, but as someone who loves the tone of diatonic harps, I also wanted this facility in the smaller format. So I decided to upgrade and improve my old Switch-Harp invention. The original model has a moveable slider/mouthpiece (another invention of mine) which works well for airtightness, but is a bit disorientating when playing because when you push the slide in it alters the distance your mouth moves.

In the new-model Switch-Harp, the mouthpiece is fixed and only the slider moves. I'm enjoying this setup on the prototypes I've made so far! Below is a clip demonstrating its effectiveness for playing clean, fast, wide intervals in a fiddle tune called "The Reconciliation". Watch my thumb to see how it works:

https://youtube.com/shorts/ypWGdKrOv5o? ... 7wdPVTlOq-

Someone described this as akin to "bow rocking" on the fiddle. That's definitely what I was aiming for!

Besides the ability to play fast wide note intervals easily, the fifths layout of this G/D Switch-Harp has some other musically useful effects.

First, it gives you complete harps in the two most common keys for Irish and other fiddle tunes: great for playing tunes that change key in a set, without swapping harmonicas.

Second, you can switch harps in the middle of a tune to play whole phrases (or just a couple of notes) that lay easier than in the default key. I'll demonstrate that in an upcoming video.

Third, because the two harps are in related keys, they have many of the same notes: not just in different places, but also on opposite breaths. That's great for offering a choice of blow or draw for a different expression or optional bending if you want it, to add flavour to the melody.

Obviously more thinking is involved to make use of these alternatives, but I find that a stimulating mental exercise in itself!

Without my realising it when I first tried this layout, it seems my Switch-Harp in fifths is fitting into a respected tradition of free-reed instrument design.

Someone pointed out to me that the Anglo concertina is configured in fifths also, as is the D/G Melodeon! And they are commonly used to play fiddle tunes as well.

Hah... I feel glad (and somewhat vindicated!) to be adopting a well established free-reed tuning concept in my new Switch-Harp in fifths.

Very nice. Want have!!!

Up till now I sucessfully use the Seydel Sampler for this, in several tunings fifths apart. The Hohner Chordomonica II with its 2 slides does it very well too. And to your Irish Session Harp, which has no slide spring, I have fixed a thread loop to the slide knob to speed up the slide out by the thumb.

And on default diatonics I do it as well by rapidly slinging the harmonica horizontally, oscillating from left to right and v/v, deep within the "broad mouth", in combination with excessive and very fast tongue block work in three voices respectively registers. This allows lots of nice fiddle-like double stops in high speed, as well as high speed trills etc in glissando or staccato - with some practice even in combination with rhythm patterns or bass notes.

For Irish folk and similar styles I prefer Paddy or Easy Third tuning. But Richter is working as well for some styles. In that case the Suzuki Overdrive with its seperate control of single notes by the fingers in addition to the tongue blocking and change of breath direction is a good choice as well. The choice of the tuning depends on which notes are to play preferably without bends.

This new Harmonica might open some more possibilities of expression. Especially I expect a perfection of the articulation of cuts and rolls and multiple trills etc by using the slide in glissando, as I am used to on the Sampler or Chordomonica II.
Do you need a beta tester?