I was waiting to see if any of the more experienced users
(like Barbara Butler) would answer your questions. I'm a
newbie using a Circular-tuned harp. "Fools rush in..."
The standard Richter-tuned diatonic harmonica in key "C"
is layed out as follows:
Blow---C---E- --G---C-- -E---G--- C---E---G- --C
Hole---1---2- --3---4-- -5---6--- 7---8---9- -10
Draw---D---G- --B---D-- -F---A--- B---D---F- --A
The standard Richter-tuned diatonic harmonica in key "G"
is layed out as follows:
Blow---G---B- --D---G-- -B---D--- G---B---D- --G
Hole---1---2- --3---4-- -5---6--- 7---8---9- -10
Draw---A---D- --F#--A-- -C---E--- F#--A---C- --E
I'm going to use a "G" key harmonica for Circular tuning,
because that's all I have. It doesn't really matter; the
principle remains the same no matter what key is used.
The Circular-tuned diatonic harmonica in key "G" is layed
out as follows:
Blow---G---B- --D---F-- -A---C--- E---G---B- --D
Hole---1---2- --3---4-- -5---6--- 7---8---9- -10
Draw---A---C- --E---G-- -B---D--- F---A---C- --E
Hmmm, no F#, which is the 7th scale degree in key "G".
So, what IS this Circular-tuning related to?
The Circular-tuned harps are tuned in the Mixolydian mode,
instead of the (standard) Ionian mode.
A-R-R-G-H! MOM, he's using that nasty music theory stuff!
A small digression: Ionian mode is composed of exactly
the same notes as the major scale. For reference, here are
the "C" major scale (Ionian mode) notes:
Note:------- ---C-D-E- F-G-A-B-C
Scale Degree:---1- 2-3-4-5-6- 7-8
The "G" Mixolydian mode notes are exactly the same notes,
except that the Mixolydian mode ("G") starts on the 5th scale
degree of the corresponding Ionian mode ("C"):
Note:------- ---G-A-B- C-D-E-F-G
Scale Degree:---1- 2-3-4-5-6- 7-8
(And there are 5 other modes, and a bunch of other stuff,
but I'm NOT going there tonight!)
The nice thing about this tuning is that Circular tuning
provides complete diatonic chords (triads) for all chords
in the Ionian mode, in addition to ALL diatonic notes for
that Ionian mode!
The diatonic chords for "C" major scale (Ionian mode) and
the corresponding chords on the "G" Circular-tuned harp are:
I----C-E-G (major chord) (Holes 2-3-4 draw; 6-7-8 blow)
ii---D-F-A (minor chord) (Holes 3-4-5 blow; 6-7-8 draw)
iii--E-G-B (minor chord) (Holes 3-4-5 draw; 7-8-9 blow)
IV---F-A-C (major chord) (Holes 4-5-6 blow; 7-8-9 draw)
V----G-B-D (major chord) (Holes 1-2-3 blow; 4-5-6 draw; 8-9-10 blow)
vi---A-C-E (minor chord) (Holes 1-2-3 draw; 5-6-7 blow; 8-9-10 draw)
vii`-B-D-F (diminished chord) (Holes 2-3-4 blow; 5-6-7 draw)
If you lay out these chords on the two different tunings,
you'll find that you only get a few of the full chords (triads)
on the Richter-tuned harp (regardless of the position),
whereas you get all of the chords at least TWICE for the
Ionian mode on the Circular-tuned harp. Consequently,
you have a much richer palette for chording.
An additional bonus is that ALL notes of ALL 7 modes occur
without bending. This makes playing tradiional mountain music
much easier. That makes playing in the natural minor (Aeolian
mode) much easier. You can use draw bends on every hole;
there are no blow bends. (I presume that overblowing can be
done, but I have no experience with that on a Circular-tuned
harp.)
There is no low-high note reversal at hole 7. Every blow note is
one diatonic step below the corresponding draw note.
I haven't tried playing the blues, using a lot of b3, b5, b7 notes,
but they are there, if you bend. I intend to use this tuning more
for bluegrass/gospel/ traditional than for anything else. I already
love the chording for accompaniment. I also love having all the
notes for playing melodies, without bends. It's not that I can't
bend; it's that the intonation of bent notes is not the same (IMHO)
as the unbent notes. Bending works to advantage for the blues, but
"curdles the cow's cream" (so to speak) for traditional music.
I know I've probably overlooked several important points, but
others on this list are much more qualified to fill in the gaps.
This should be enough to get you started.
I thought I covered it, but obviously not clearly enough; my apology.
The following statement may have contributed to the confusion:
> > Hmmm, no F#, which is the 7th scale degree in key "G".
The Circular-tuned harp is tuned naturally (without bends) to the
Mixolydian mode beginning in hole 1 blow, N-O-T to the major
scale (Ionian mode) associated with standard Richter-tuned harps.
"G" Mixolydian mode corresponds to the "C" major scale (which is
also "C" Ionian mode).
Think of it this way: if you played a "C" keyed Richter-tuned harp in
2nd position, the natural notes (without bends) would be the
"G" Mixolydian mode. That's not to say you couldn't play a "G" major
scale on a "C" harp; if you have good control of bends (and overbends),
you can play all 12 keys on a single Richter-tuned diatonic. However,
I have NO intention of ever learning to do that, even as a parlor trick.
I'll leave that to those pros who need that in their bag of tricks. My
ambition is to be an improving AMATEUR for the rest of my life!
The easiest way (at least for me) to approach the Circular-tuning is
to think of the key of the harp as if it is 2nd position, NOT 1st position.
The "G" Circular-tuned harp (pretending it is tuned in 2nd position)
would correspond to a 1st position "C" keyed harp.
Consequently, the notes on the "G" Circular-tuned harp would
correspond exactly to the notes on the "C" Richter-tuned harp.
That's why there is no F# on the "G" Circular-tuned harp.
If you work out the chords for "C" major scale (Ionian mode) using
the "G" Circular-tuned harp, you'll find that every chord triad built
on every scale degree of the "C" major scale occurs at least twice
on the Circular-tuned harp; you cannot get a complete set of triads
on any Richter-tuned harp, regardless of the position you use. In
most cases, you will be limited to either 2-note partial "chords" or
to playing an octave in lieu of an actual chord.
If you wanted to play using the "G" major scale, you would need a
"D" Circular-tuned harp. The "D" Circular-tuned harp would have
the "F#" note:
The Circular-tuned diatonic harmonica in key "D" is layed
out as follows:
Blow---D---F# --A---C-- -E---G--- B---D---F# --A
Hole---1---2- --3---4-- -5---6--- 7---8---9- -10
Draw---E---G- --B---D-- -F#--A--- C---E---G- --B
As you can see, the "G" major scale (or "D" Mixolydian mode) is used
as the basis for this harp. The corresponding chords are:
I - G-B-D (Holes 2-3-4 draw; 6-7-8 blow)
ii - A-C-E (Holes 3-4-5 blow; holes 6-7-8 draw)
iii - B-D-F# (Holes 3-4-5 draw; holes 7-8-9 blow)
IV - C-E-G (Holes 4-5-6 blow; holes 7-8-9 draw)
V - D-F#-A (Holes 1-2-3 blow; 4-5-6 draw; holes 7-8-9 blow)
vi - E-G-B (Holes 1-2-3 draw; holes 5-6-7 blow; holes 8-9-10 draw)
vii' - F#-A-C (Holes 2-3-4 blow; holes 5-6-7 draw)
It IS confusing at first, but then when you realize that all of the diatonic
notes are there for all 7 modes (which includes the major scale and the
relative natural minor scale), and that there are complete diatonic traids
built on every scale degree, it becomes very exciting (at least to me)!
Hope that helps clear up some of the confusion! If it doesn't, just keep
asking until it is clear!