369. 3 OR 4 CHORDS HARMONICAS

 3 OR 4   CHORDS HARMONICAS

In this post we describe some (15 types ) of easy playing and good sounding 3-4 chods harmonicas. Of course we should remember that if we want all 7 chords of the diatonic scale in the harmonica we must utilize the cyclic tuning. The value of lesser number of chords in the harmonics is simply to focus on specific styles harmony simpe improvisations 

The rule for 2 or 3 or 4  chords-based  tunings is that 

1) horizontally either in the blow row or in the draw row are not allowed intervals other than 3rds, 4ths, 5ths for reasonsof harmony. 
2) But any inversion of the chord is allowed

3) And of course you try to put as many notes of the diatonic scale as possible and with the right pitch order, so that in cyclic  sequence they are in the smalest possible intervals

The way to play such harmonicas is  better not uniform distribution of time among the notes but to spend more time in the 3 zones (either blow or draw) of 3 consecutive notes that define the pattern of the 3 or 4 chords this  3+3 +3 holes.

The role of such 3 or 4 chords tuning of harmonicas is not to play all possible songs and melodies (this is best done by the cyclic tuning) but to improvise on melodies that are accompanied only with these 3 or 4 chords AND  to play easily only these 3 or 4 chords as it is

simple to know where to find them. This combination of solo playing and chord playing when estricted to 3 or 4 chords only is best done with such tunings and not with the universal cyclic tuning than can play of course the same thing but in a quite more difficult way requiring significant skill. If the improvisation melody in such 3-4 chords harmonicas requires passing notes  that exactly missing notes from the sequence ofthe diatonic scale, then bending of notes might apply. On the other hand the missing notes define subscales of the diatonic scale that are beautiful and fitting best with the chords

We remind the reader what the letters inthe next mean

M=major 

m=minor

d=diminished

The most obvious layout  of the 1M 4M 5M major chords ofthe diatonic scale that has 3 times the 1M

 2 times the 5M and one time the 4M is  the next for the Fmajor scale

The chord positions are as in the next table

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			1M
draw	5M			1M			5M

with tuning table 

This pattern of 3 basic chords,of the Ionian mode (major),can apply also to all 7 modes, as  each mode

harmonically can be characterized by its 3 main chords A1 (root) A4 (on 4tth step) A5 (on the 5th step.

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	A1			A4			A1
draw	A5			A1			A5

So all the modes are the next triads of chords

IONIAN= 1M-2M-5M

DORIAN=2m-5M-6m

FRYGIAN=3m-6m-7d

LYDIAN=4M-7d-1M

MIXOLYDIAN=5M-1M-2m

AEOLIAN=6m-2m-3m

LOCRIAN=7d-3m-4M

E.g. the FRYGIAN mode would be 

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	3m			6m			3m
draw	7d			3m			7d

with

A1=3m               A4=6m      A5= 7d

If we want to set the 3 basic major chords of a diatonic scale 1M, 4M, 5M at the blow row ,together with their closest from below diminished chords (that resolve to them) that is 7dim, 3dim, 4#dim , then this is possible with a bonus of two additional chords apearing in the draw row the 3m and 6m.
Here is how this can be done for the G major diatonic scale in the next table. The 3 basic major chords are Gmajor, Cmajor Dmajor in the blow row, and the 3 diminished chords that the resolve to them at the draw row are the  F#dim, Bdim, C#dim. The bonus chordss are the Bm and Em. The total 3 octaves scale has interval structure  2-2-1-2-4-1-4-1-2-2-1-4-4-1-2-2-1-2-2

The chord positions are as in the next table

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			5M
draw	7d			3d			4#d

If someone does not want to utilize the resolving diminshed chords and wants to remain inside the diatonic scale on way to do it is as in the next table for the C major scale

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			1M
draw	7d			5M			7d

Notice that the main goal of such a tuning is not to play all posible songs of the C major scale (this is done by the cyclic tuning) but to play songs and improvise over the 3 major chords of the scale 1M 4M 5M.

Still another version of the 1M 4M 5M that has 3 times the 1M 2 times the 5M and one time the 4M is  the next forthe Fmajor scale

The chord positions are as in the next table

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			1M
draw	5M			1M			5M

And still another alternative is the

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			1M			4M
draw	7d			5M			1M

With tuning table at  the C major the one below

If on the other hand we want to substitute the 4M chord with the minor relative 6m , then a possible tuning for the F major scale would be the next table

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			6m			1M
draw	7d			5M			7d

While if we want as in the blues to substitute the 4M with the lower relative chord 2m, then a possible tuning would be as in the next table for the G major scale. IN MY OPINION THE RICHTER TUNINGI SNOT THE OPTIMAL TUNING TO PLAY IMPROVISATIONS OVER THE TRIAD OF CHORDS I  ii   V (or 1M 2m 5M) . The next tuning iS CLOSER TO THE OPTIMAL FOR IMPROVISATIONS OVER THE TRIAD I  ii   V.

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			2m			1M
draw	7d			5M			7d

Stil another version o 1M , 2m 5M is the next for the C major scale

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			5M			1M
draw	7d			2m			7d

We may compare it with  the Richter tuning

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			1M			1M
draw	5M			2m			7d

For a minor chords triad like the iii, vi, ii, (3m , 6m, 2m) the next table of tuing is a way for the Bb diatonic scale

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	6m			2m			6m
draw	3m			6m			3m

The full 3-octaves scale in semitones for te abive harmonica is 2-1-4-3-2-3-2-1-4-2-1-4-3-2-2

Notice that there in it the inverse of the Greek-Richter pentatonic 2-1-4-3-2 (see post 117 ) which is maximal harmonic, and is repeating twice in the full 3-octaves scale. Also there is the 3-2-3-2 which is 4 notes part of the standard pentatonic scale 3-2-3-2-2.





For triads like  1M 4M 3m the next table is a  way for the G major diatonic scale

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			1M
draw	7d			3m			7d

MORE TUNIGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH 4 CHORDS LIKE THE NEXT PATTERNS

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	4M			5M			4M
draw	1M			2m			1M

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	4M			5M			4M
draw	3m			1M			3m

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	1M			4M			1M
draw	7d			3m			7d

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
blow	4M			5M			4M
draw	1M			6m			1M