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Thought Experiment For A Possible Valveless Slide Chromatic
streetlegal:
Arising from the 'Something New?' thread, I can now see from the bigger photos of that model that the slide has the usual diagonal holes and the comb is in two horizontal rows, as we are used to on chromatics. So my thinking on that model layout was completely on the wrong lines.
Even so it made me think of a new possible design for a chromatic harmonica, so I thought I'd set it down here for the record, just in case anyone ever wants to make one.
The design is pretty straightforward, based upon diatonic style comb (one hole for two valveless blow and draw reeds) matched with a simple stop/go slide (slide out - hole 1 fully open - slide in hole 1 fully shut). So effectively the slide would be operating as an air valve, thus eliminating the need for windsavers. As far as I know, such a harmonica has never been made, which is surprising because it is a much simpler concept, though not as versatile, as the standard chromatic harmonica.
This is just one possible layout - you can imagine this layout as diatonic C reedplates spliced together with diatonic C# reedplates. The slide switches from the C scale beginning on hole 1 to the C# scale beginning on hole 2.
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Blow C C# E F G G# B C
Draw D D#F F# A A# C D
To give it a large enough range, I think it would need to have 16 holes - though with an augmented tuning reed layout it would be possible to get a greater octave range from a smaller number of holes.
Keith:
--- Quote ---... imagine this layout as diatonic C reedplates spliced together with diatonic C# reedplates..
--- End quote ---
I think you've just described the valveless chromatic - Swan, Kmise, etc. ;D
I notice in your modified version that we get a duplicate C just like a regular chromatic, is there any real benefit(?).
streetlegal:
The 10 hole valveless chromatics now available I think are just built like normal chromatics, but without valves. The comb is the same and the slide is the same. So what you get is a chromatic which leaks air through the reed slots, so it is less responsive and plays quieter.
On this alternative concept, the blow and draw reeds would work like they do on a diatonic comb - with one bigger comb chamber instead of the two small ones you get on a chromatic comb - and of course no valves. With the slide closing down adjacent holes completely there would be much less leakage from one hole into the one next to it, like you get on a mouthpiece with a normal chromatic slide. The reed layout really would be a matter of choice - standard chromatic solo tuning could work equally well on this design - except that because of the double spacing big/split chords or octaves wouldn't be possible.
Otter:
--- Quote from: streetlegal on June 17, 2020, 03:32:04 AM ---The 10 hole valveless chromatics now available I think are just built like normal chromatics, but without valves. The comb is the same and the slide is the same. So what you get is a chromatic which leaks air through the reed slots, so it is less responsive and plays quieter.
--- End quote ---
On my Kmise 1040, each mouthpiece hole lines up with four chambers in the comb, and the slider closes two of them in either position. So there is a separate chamber for each reed, but you're still blowing/drawing through two of them at any one mouthpiece hole. It's not quite what you're describing, but it is different from the standard Hohner comb and slider arrangement.
frankyb:
--- Quote from: streetlegal on June 17, 2020, 03:32:04 AM ---The 10 hole valveless chromatics now available I think are just built like normal chromatics, but without valves. The comb is the same and the slide is the same. So what you get is a chromatic which leaks air through the reed slots, so it is less responsive and plays quieter.
On this alternative concept, the blow and draw reeds would work like they do on a diatonic comb - with one bigger comb chamber instead of the two small ones you get on a chromatic comb - and of course no valves. With the slide closing down adjacent holes completely there would be much less leakage from one hole into the one next to it, like you get on a mouthpiece with a normal chromatic slide. The reed layout really would be a matter of choice - standard chromatic solo tuning could work equally well on this design - except that because of the double spacing big/split chords or octaves wouldn't be possible.
--- End quote ---
I would add that my Kmise is airtight.
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