Q: What is a chromatic harmonica?
A: Extending the discussion of general types in part 1, a chromatic harmonica is a harmonica that has all 12 notes in an octave directly available. It is actually tuned in a diatonic scale, but it can be raised a half step by pushing a button on the side -- BB
Also from "Post #2 General Stuff" 2 Nov 1992 JE:
The standard chromatic tuning is different and called "solo" tuning. The entire scale is repeated in each set of four holes (just like holes 4-7 of a diatonic). 12 hole chromatics are available in 12 keys. 16 holers are only available in C. A 16 hole chromatic has four complete C scales, with the C repeated in every octave. See layout below...
(TOP LETTER = BLOW / BOTTOM LETTER = DRAW)
1. 2. 3. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 <-cover plate #s 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 - may differ +--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+__ ++ |C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#||C#||E#||G#||C#|B \++| (#)sharps |D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||B#||D#||F#||A#||D |D_/++|<--------- +--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ ++ SLIDE| +--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+__ ++ IN | |Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||C ||Db||F ||Ab||Db|B \++|<--------- |Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||Db||Eb||Gb||Bb||D |D_/++| (b)flats +--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ +++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+_____ ++ |C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C ||C ||E ||G ||C |Blow \++| SLIDE | D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|| D|| F|| A|| B|Draw_/++| OUT +--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--++--+ ++ -----> 1. 2. 3. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 |<- - - - - - - -12 hole layout - - - - - - - >|
Notes: 1. The cover plate numbers on different models/brands of 16 hole harmonica will differ. Some show the first four holes with a dot beside them to indicate the octave below middle "C". Middle "C" is found in hole 5 (the 5th
hole) on a 16 hole chromatic.
2. Hole 16 tuning (slide in) is slightly different from it's lower octave companions (1., 5, 9, & 13). Hole 16 contains a "D" note where you might expect a D# (Eb). Why? I don't know. (hope these drawings got through the mail OK.) -- "Post #2 General Stuff" 2 Nov 1992 JE
(FMI: "Jazz Chromatic" 20 Sep 94 WY) (FMI: "RE: Chromatics without the slide???" 20 Dec 94 JE)
