Sjoberg Harp Tuner
When I go to the masterharp.com web site and click on "Tuner", I get a message: "there are no products to list in this category." I've sent an email, using the email link you provided, and asked about this. Do you happen to know about it? Thanks. The new series of videos is excellent, as have been the others.
Hello all,
Please accept my apologies for not being in "phase" with the release of the Harp Tech film #7. As Winslow says " it now shows product, with picture and price". New pictures coming up soon together with more information.
The Harp Tuner use the "principle" of a factory tuner, that is all. I have seen other factory tuners, they all share the same principle but looks different to each other. The hardest part in the project has been to construct and to design it, low weight, overall dimensions and yet to be as "loud" as a "factory tuner" without having to amplify it to be heard.
You can tune other brands as well - for example Suzuki Manji, Seydel and other brands. I will add info on my website www.masterharp.com further on. Within shortly the Harp Tuner will be able to tune the brand new Suzuki SUB30 ...
The Harp Tuner is almost entirely hand built. Each copy is unique.
Welcome with any question you may have - i will do my best answering! I prefer email as i do not keep my eye on this forum on a daily basis. Kindly email me with any questions at info@masterharp.com
I want to thank Kinya Pollard and David Barrett and his film team for the excellent job they have done (and still does!)
Best regards
Dick Sjoeberg
Hi Kynia,
I was waiting for that for months. You convinced me. I ordered one this morning.
Thanks.
Eddy
I get questions about which models to Harp Tuner fits. It fits to all Hohner diatonic models, eg MB Classic, DeLuxe, Crossover and GM and all other models in the MS scheme. The Harp Tuner comes with a special milled gasket completely adapted for SP20, that automatically blocks recess and square holes in the reed plate. This means that the holes do not need to be taped. Simply place the reed plate against the guide pins and start to tune.
Harp tuner is ideal for tuning eg Suzki Manji. Also Lee Oskar's. Filip Jers see me this afternoon and I will have the opportunity to familiarize myself with SUB30. Then I get the opportunity to study the structure and likely adapt HarpTuner to SUB30 as the other Suzuki harmonica.
I will do my best to post more information about it on www.masterharp.com.
Regards
Dick
Congratulations Dick!
Be careful for what you ask for ... make certain to clear your calendar of all vacation dates, strap yourself in, lock the doors and build those darn Harp Tuners so that you can satisfy all the orders you will be receiving ;o)
Your Harpsmith,
Kinya
Dick was very helpful in his explanations of what's going on with the harp tuner. (thanks for replying!) I've ordered one and am excited about it!
Hello Kinya,
My HT has just arrived. I can just say that it looks very nice and it reflects a high precision job.
Now I have to learn to use it. So expect my questions in the days to come. Here my first one.
Why must we calibrate the electronic tuner? I thought it was enough to write 442 Hz down in the dedicated field of the screen. In my mind, if you blow hole 4 before you tuned the harp, you indicate a possibly wrong pitch to the tuner. No? So that's confusing me.
Thanks.
Eddy
Good question! I wondered that too. I'm still waiting for my tuner to arrive.
Jim
Hello Jim
As a rule, chromatic tuners come out of the box calibrated to concert A 440Hz--and for most instruments, this works perfectly fine. Harmonicas, however, live by a slightly different set of rules (no surprise there ... right ;o) As it turns out, by the time we huff and puff ... weigh down the reeds with condensation ... and add cover plates with tricky hand cupping techniques, our harmonica would be 2 to 3 cents "flat". In other words, we will be out of tune with the rest of the band!
To compensate, simply calibrate your Chromatic Tuner (#sharper) in the range of 442Hz to 443Hz, then life will be a piece of cake. You will find with this strategy, your harmonica will be in perfect pitch with the rest of your band (or jam trax). You'll see and hear the difference. Would the Harpsmith let you down?
Kinya
Eddy the tuning table will usually sound the note sharper than mouth blowing will. I'd recommend tuning a "reference" pitch by mouth to 443 (3 blow for example). Then put it on the tuning table, and reset the electronic tuner to whatever number it needs to read "zero", and work the offsets from there.
Another reason for tuning to 443-ish is the flatness of the thirds in JI derived temperaments. Tuning the root sharper puts the flattened notes around 440 or a little flat. So if tuning to a compromise with less-flattened thirds, we can tune the root lower than 443 and still not sound flat against other instruments.
Hope this helps-
Joe Spiers
That's exactly what I deduced after some tests. The harp tuner sounds actually sharper. I started with my tuner calibrated at 442 but it was too flat. I set it up at 443 and it is perfect now.
Thanks for helping.
Eddy
Hi Eddy
Just following up with you. Based on your response, your hunch was consistent with Joe's recommendation. How is it going for you?
HINT: the most important technique when using the Sjoberg Harp Tuner is to tune "past the edge"--then back again. This is akin to tuning a guitar. Tensile characteristics of the material, debris, perspiration, humidity, etc. that build up on the surfaces of the strings all effect tuning. When you stretch (constrict/tension) past the note you are aiming for, then relax (expand) the string to land on the desired pitch, unwanted residue will flake off and result in a stable pitch.
Your Harpsmith
Kinya
Hi Kinya,
Sorry for my late reply but I wanted it as complete as possible and as my mother tongue is French, I have to pay doubly attention if I want you to understand me.
Firstly, thanks for your follow-up and for your good advice. I finished my try-out and I would like to share my experience and my comments as a new HT user. I have tuned my first set of MB 1896 that I modified replacing the nails by screws.
1. Tune "past the edge": OK, I have completely internalized the process. Just a little remark about the guitar method. When I tune my guitar, I always reach the right pitch coming from a lower one.
2. Files: I use almost only my set of ceramic files (from 120 to 1200 grit) mounted on an holder. Here is where I bought it: http://www.dmeeu.com. Sometimes I use my triangular files from my Richard Sleigh's toolkit.
3. Tuner: I use the Strobosoft Deluxe by Peterson. I don't use the internal mic of my MacBook but a Shure SM58 connect on my USB port via a Shure X2U interface. In a first time, I calibrate my tuner giving the right pitch out (from a Korg GT-120). In the set-up/calibration screen I write, for example, 443 Hz in the "Input Frequency" field and then I hit the "MEASURE" button and follow the instructions. After that you can read the calibration factor (wich is most of the time 99,97%) in the field below. In the set-up/set-up screen I hit the noise filter button. I find easy to work in the following way. For instance, if I want to tune the blow reed 2 at -14 cents, in the "Chromatic Tune" screen, I set the "Global Cents Offset" to -14 and I try to reach 0 stabilizing the Strobe screen. Idem for the octaves.
4. Concert-A : I tried 442, 443, 444 Hz. I settled on 443.
5.Temperament: I had a chat about JI with Joe Filisko in Northampton last August. At this moment, my sole reference was Richard Sleigh's book "Turbocharge Your Harmonica". Richard's tuning table indicates a 5 blow at -32 cents for the JI. Joe told me that in his opinion it was too flat but it was a good start for somebody wanting to begin to tune his harps. I read Pat Missin's web site and also this one " http://ohw.se/hca " which is a good résumé. Finally I opted for 19-limit JI for my first set of harps.
6. Octave stretching : can you give your opinion?
I hope you didn't fall asleep reading my masterpiece and can't wait to read your comments.
I'm always willing to answer if you want more precision about my feelings or if you don't understand me.
All the best,
Eddy
Hello Eddy
You are clearly a serious harp tech. Nice work.
As for octave stretching, are you referring to relative tuning? If so, once you have established your first (low pitches) octave as your "reference" pitches, then tuning the mid and high octaves to "no beat" works extremely well (past the edge of course ;o)
For example,on the BLOW reed plates:
1+ with 4+ with 7+ with 10+
2+ with 5+ with 8+
3+ with 6+ with 9+
DRAW reed plates;
1 with 4 with 8
2 (no octave here)
3 with 7
5 with 9
6 with 10
Your Harpsmith
Kinya
Hi Kynia,
Thanks for the compliment. As for octave stretching, I was just wondering why you have never mentioned it in your lessons while it appears in my other sources . I absolutely agree with you. The method consisting in establishing the first octave as reference pitches and then tuning the mid and high octaves to "no beat" works fine. Up to now, I have only applied this method and that suits my ears. So, in my opinion, the concepts of "octave stretching" and "tuning past the edge and reaching the "no beat" state" are much the same.
All the best,
Eddy
Bravo!
I am so into this discussion when my tuner arrives!! Looking forward to it and hope to get lots of tips from you guys as I work my way through the early stages.
Kinya,
After placing an order for the Tuner weeks ago, I have made several attempts to contact Dick Sjoeberg with no success. I tried going through the website and emailing directly.
Do you have any suggestions?
Al Taylor
Hi Al,
As for me, I send my emails both to info@masterharp.com and info@wawamusic.nu.
All the best,
Eddy
Thanks Eddy,
I will give it a try!
Al
As an update... the address you gave me worked and I did reach him! Thanks again Eddy,
Al
Aha! Now I understand the calibration aspect. Thanks, Kinya, for your explanation.
I have paid for my tuner via PayPal and am now waiting anxiously for delivery!
Jim
Ah... to be in love again ;o)
~Kinya
All,
As some of you may know Dick Sjoeberg and I have been working to get the Sjoeberg Tuner back into production here on the West Coast of the USA. That has happened I am happy to report.We had good first run that is sold out but fully expect to produce more as long as there is demand. If you want to know more I will be at the Harmonica MasterClass in April with a number of tuners. Otherwise you can track our progress, get your self queued up for a Sjoeberg tuner or just stay informed via www.masterharp.com , home of the Sjoeberg Diatonic Harmonica Tuner.
John Ingham
Masterharp US
John...I went to your website, masterharp.com, and completed the puzzle correctly, to begin my registration. When I went to the next page to complete my registration, I was blacklisted! What happened?
Homer.
Homer,
Yup, sorry about that, spam control software is the issue, a necessary evil.
Please send your full name, preferred user name and email address to register-at-materharp-dot-com and I will add you.
I wil send you an email when that is done, reset your password and you will be good to go.
John
Thanks, John. I just wanted to mention that you emailed me promptly when I contacted you off the forum and it looks like you corrected the problem very efficiently. Thank you for your help. I will follow up on your emails. I think there is a Sjoberg tuner somewhere in the near future for me!
Homer.
I just visited the site and that page now shows product, with picture and price ($395).
It appears to be a tuning table (aka provino) similar what is used to tune harmonicas in the factory. Dick has been talking about doing this for a few years, and it's nice to see it coming to fruition.