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Author Topic: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)  (Read 3630 times)

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stevejay

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Just curious..

What are the most alterations in tuning a Pokerworks bass & treble. Why would they be desirable? thanks! I know Swedish players do a reversal, are there more which have been found desirable?



« Last Edit: July 24, 2009, 04:13:03 PM by stevejay »
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stevejay

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #1 on: July 26, 2009, 03:27:38 PM »

I'll answer my own question.. dutch or turning accidentals into low notes. ;D
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forrest

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #2 on: July 26, 2009, 04:48:54 PM »

........................ turning accidentals into low notes.

   I have done this and am happy with the result. It took me a while to realize that the original accidentals work best in a rather eastern European mode...sort of Balkan-style playing. I have never travelled that route, but I have heard other players use those notes to great effect. 

   One other tweak is to block the thirds on the left hand. The first alteration I made (mine's a G/C) was to remove the third on the Amaj chord. I found that the natural progressions I preferred required Amin. From there it was just a matter of time before I blanked off all the thirds..... to my mind, it gives the instrument a cleaner, simpler voice and allows more flexibility for playing in either Major or Minor keys.......jwf
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sCANdanADIAN

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #3 on: July 26, 2009, 05:10:26 PM »

The reedblocks might be designed only to hold your higher accidental notes and the large low note reed plates won't fit,especially on the F row.However you could move your starting C and F note to the 4th button allowing you to keep your accidentals and obtain low notes.Those high squeaky notes that you lose won't be missed.Many D/G players make this change.

One change I'd like to make is to turn the duplicate low C on the F-row into either an A,D or Eb push which are very useful while playing in F and F7.I'd also consider changing the Eb draw accidental into the sorely missed Bb.

I always play my Bb basses on the draw so I'd also like to put Eb basses on the push.I wouldn't try retuning the Bb reeds,Bb-Eb reed sets should be available.

Chris
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Chris Ryall

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2009, 05:22:09 PM »

My first box, a Pokerwork quite accidentally had 'accidentals' the way I like them (= Bb pull on the D row, F pull on the G). As I wandered my inexorable way through box after box I found some had these notes opposite way - I nearly always turned these over. So that's my most common alteration (except it was already OK on my Pokerwork).

Losing the 3rd's is no bad thing. My 90's Mori and more recent Oakwood had/have buttons to suppress these. 'Just come' Gaillard has no 3rds to start with - and you know I don't miss them at all.

To my horror I've already modified the Gaillard! I'd had to make a guess on which octave to place C/Ab on one of it's two 'extra' buttons and chose wrong. Paul at the Music Room has kindly moved 'em up an octave - his usual excellent job.
« Last Edit: July 27, 2009, 12:06:41 AM by chrisryall »
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forrest

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #5 on: July 26, 2009, 08:32:53 PM »

The reedblocks might be designed only to hold your higher accidental notes and the large low note reed plates won't fit......
Chris

  Good call, Chris......Anyone making this alteration should look to see that the lower (and larger) reedplate can be installed in the alotted space.
I cannot speak about all Pokerwork reedblocks, but on my G/C the reed chamber had a filler block (from the factory) to accomodate the accidental reedplate which was smaller. Once the filler block was removed (using a Dremel tool and finishing with a fine and very sharp hand blade), the space was the exact size for the larger reed plate.
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Theo

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #6 on: July 26, 2009, 08:44:49 PM »

I cannot speak about all Pokerwork reedblocks, but on my G/C the reed chamber had a filler block (from the factory) to accomodate the accidental reedplate which was smaller. Once the filler block was removed (using a Dremel tool and finishing with a fine and very sharp hand blade), the space was the exact size for the larger reed plate.

That's pretty much standard on Hohner two row reedblocks, and often on Italian boxes too.  Sometimes the accidentals are on extra long reedplates and the low note reeds fit on without any woodwork.
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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LJC

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #7 on: July 27, 2009, 09:29:50 PM »

Change the bass end B maj chord to Bm (assuming its DG). For almost every British style tune its far far far more useful than B major which is better for those European harmonic minor progressions.
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Theo

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #8 on: July 27, 2009, 10:15:50 PM »

An alteration which should be more common on D/G boxes is to have the scale starting on button 4 instead of button 3.   On a D/G box the top end of the G row is very high and not used much.  Having a 4th button start allows you to have a complete scale down to low G which is very useful.

There is no standard way of doing this but one of my preferred layouts is:

Eb/F B/C D/F# G/A etc
Bb/G# G/A A/C# D/E etc

Note button two altered from the normal F#/A to G/A  I find low G much more useful than low F#.  I think of the G/A button as the first button of the G row.

You could also replace some of the accidentals with an Epush or a Dpull
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Theo Gibb - Gateshead UK

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Chris Ryall

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #9 on: July 27, 2009, 10:45:32 PM »

Yes, the great weakness of the D/G box is that 95% of the playing is in the bottom 1/2 (1/3 even) of the keyboard. To have half the notes never used cannot be good (or even efficient)?
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Waltham

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #10 on: July 27, 2009, 11:09:05 PM »

   One other tweak is to block the thirds on the left hand. The first alteration I made (mine's a G/C) was to remove the third on the Amaj chord.
I'm a little surprised to find you ever had an A major chord on a G/C, mine never did.  Or do you mean what would be A major on a D/G?
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forrest

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #11 on: July 28, 2009, 03:51:05 AM »

  One other tweak is to block the thirds on the left hand. The first alteration I made (mine's a G/C) was to remove the third on the Amaj chord.
I'm a little surprised to find you ever had an A major chord on a G/C, mine never did.  Or do you mean what would be A major on a D/G?

You are correct, Waltham, I got it wrong. I was thinking actually of the Emaj chord, same button, on the push. Hope I didn't confuse anyone as much as I do myself  :-\  (I did, however, remove the minor third on the A chord)
« Last Edit: July 28, 2009, 03:57:58 AM by j.w.forrest »
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Chris Ryall

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #12 on: July 28, 2009, 07:10:11 AM »

Removing the 3rd is more flexible than flattening it to a minor. You can then use is agaist both British tunes and harmonic minor - the latter needs your accidentals plate right way though.

Common?  Dunno. I never did it, but now I've got a register I find I leave 3rd it out most of the time.
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LJC

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #13 on: July 28, 2009, 07:41:18 AM »

I prefer them in myself - I never seem to use the B major chord and you can always make an Am by using the A bass and the C chord together or bluff E maj chord on the pull by using the E bass and D chord. However, blocking off the thirds is a much easier job than retuning.
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Lester

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Re: What are the most common tuning alterations? (2 row Pokerwork)
« Reply #14 on: July 28, 2009, 08:14:26 AM »

I am probably alone in this but nearly all boxes have not only the thirds taped/stopped off but the low bass reeds as well. As I like to play droney basses if the low reed is in there it just drowns the melody
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