Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2002 11:45:22 -0500 From: Pat Missin Subject: Just, compromised, etc. (was Re: Pro Junior tube swap)
BBQ Bob wrote: > >Hi, >The Hand Made Marine Bands are tuned to a comprimised just intonation since >the late 80's, the HM SP20's are tuned this way also, but the MS series >versions of these (which are NOT sold in the US) is tuned to a different >comprimised just intonation.
"Compromised just" is something of a contradiction in terms. If a tuning is compromised, it is by definition not just; if a tuning is just, it is by definition not compromised.
I've taken to making notes of the tuning of many of the harps I work on from new. Looking over the ones I've done this year, it would seem that the current "Classic" Hohner diatonics use a light temperament quite close to JI, but with 5 and 9 draw noticeably sharper than would be the case with strict 7-limit JI (the traditional diatonic tuning). Hohner MS harps use a slightly more tempered tuning with 5 and 9 draw tuned much higher than on the Classic series. Also the MS harps seem to be tuned a little sharper overall.
Of all the Hohner harps I've worked on in the last year, the one that was closest to the traditional 7-limit JI tuning was a 14-hole Marine Band 365. Of course, as factory tuning tends to be quite variable, it is often hard to make out what the tuning is supposed to be.
>If you go to http://www.harmonicalinks.com you >should be able to find a link to an article by Rick Epping from Hohner that >has both the present HM MB and MS series tunings, as well as the true just >intonation that was employed on 99% of Hohner diatonics prior to 1985. Also, >check out http://www.patmissin.com for some excellent info on this subject >plus sound files comparing equal tuning vs. true just intonation.
On my "to do" list is a set of additions to this page, including going into more detail about which tuning is used on which harps. It probably won't be today though...
