tuning the harmonica

Well, this query seemed to raise more questions than answers, but all the
input was very welcome. When I have a spare moment (whatever one of those
is!), I'll try that suggestion for the diatonic harmonica.

Regarding my query about the chromatic, the meantone tunings I tried were
not just the regular 1/4 comma thing. I just tried any temperament that made
the major thirds a little smoother than 12TET. Some of the nicest thirds
were produced my tuning each octave slightly flatter than the last, but this
goes against my usual practise of stretching by a couple of cents per
octave. Made the top end of the instrument sound horribly flat, anyway.
Because the hca. produces strong differential tones, there are some
fundamental problems with the draw chord. If you tune the D-F interval
justly, it produces a Bb differential tone (and towards the top of the hca.
this tone is almost as strong as the normal tones of the reeds) which
clashes with the A and B in the draw chord. A Pythagorean m3rd solved that
problem, but then gave a horrible Pythag M3rd F-A When the chromatic is used
as a monophonic instrument, this is not a problem, but with chords and
doublestops (favoured by many traditional-style players)... well I'm sure
you've heard people squawking on an equal-tuned harp! I suppose my original
question boils down to "What's the best tuning for the minor sixth chord: 1,
m3, 5, 6?"

Many thanks for all the welcome messages. A lot of the list does go over my
head (at my current stage of learning, anyway), but much of it is both
fascinating and useful. I recently retuned a diatonic harp to the septimal
scale suggsted by Gary Morrison - got some very strange looks when I played
it at a local club, but certain things about it are worth further
investigation.

I didn't exacly expect the list to be flooded with hca players and
technicians, but I have to say that it makes an excellent tool for exploring
altered tunings (it was working on the harmonica that first caused me to hit
my local library and devour all their Helmholtz, Partch, etc.), having many
of the plus points of the harmonium and concertina (favoured by many
researchers), all at an affordable price. And like Neil Haverstick (digest
774) I find the blues (which comes so naturally to the hca, despite being
originally designed for polkas, etc.) to be an ideal medium for inflicting
altered tuning upon an unsuspecting public!

Finally, another quest - to say me a lot of counting on fingers and toes,
does anyone out there know of a program for converting ratios to cents?



Pat Missin.

"...my music's a lot better than it sounds!" (with apologies to Mark Twain)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------