Last Updated on September 17, 2022
To properly tune a harmonium, first of all, you must understand what is the pitch of the instrument. The center pitch of the instrument is important for the instruments pitch, so tune each reed to the same pitch. To tune one harmonium, tune all its reeds to center pitch, and ignore differences of an octave. In this way, you can safely say that your harmonium is tuned to international pitch.
Scale-changer harmoniums
Before you can start learning how to tune a scale-changer harmonium, you need to know what a reed is and how it fits into the body. You will want to find an authentic shop that tunes scale-changer harmoniums. Online sellers who call knobs “stoppers” are clueless. While they may seem like they’ll do a good job, their products probably won’t play well.
A scale-changer harmonium is an instrument that is capable of shifting its pitch easily. A mechanical device allows the keyboard to slide up and down, giving you a variety of sound effects. Ideally, a properly-built scale-changer harmonium will last for many years, but if you’re playing with one in a public place, you might want to opt for a model that requires minimal maintenance.
Standard harmoniums, on the other hand, have fewer moving parts than scale-changer harmoniums. These instruments can be transported easily, and they’re perfect for travel. They’re usually built in a standard form and have a return bellows. This means that you can easily tune them to sound their best. These instruments are usually built in a sturdy, durable case, so shipping them should be simple.
A harmonium was invented in France nearly 200 years ago. During the British Occupation, it was brought to India. It wasn’t designed to be played in a concert, and it’s most commonly used as a background instrument to accompany devotional songs. Unlike Western instruments, harmonium reeds are tuned for harmony, not concert pitch. That means that they sound well with the voices and mood of the singer.
There are two types of scale-changer harmoniums: full-size and folding. Full-size harmoniums have a large bellows for optimal air retention and are more comfortable for travelling. Folding harmoniums are more durable than non-folding harmoniums and can fit in the overhead compartments of airplanes. They are often more expensive, but their size and weight make them ideal for studio musicians.
Delhi-built harmoniums
Despite being widely available, the most popular harmoniums in India require tuning and adjusting when they first arrive. You can have these instruments tuned by a Harmonium Technician who visits India on a regular basis. These professionals have good relationships with most makers of harmoniums and can help you tune your instrument to perfection. If you have any doubts, be sure to ask your technician to perform a tune-up.
The MM Kirtan harmonium is a good example of a high-quality Delhi-built harmonium. The instrument is made in Delhi and selected by a renowned harmonium maker, Nic Dillon. This harmonium has 27 keys and covers the typical kirtan and mantra range. The instrument is also made of durable, high-quality double reeds, transparent polish, and precise workmanship. This harmonium is surprisingly light-weight, and is easy to transport. It also comes with a convenient carrying case.
It’s not uncommon for musicians to use harmoniums for live performances. Artists like Neil Young and Samuel Beam (of Iron and Wine) have both performed on the instrument. As the demand for harmoniums increases, Nic Dillon and his wife Heather Dillon have made their sons involved in the process. Ellery plays the shruti box, a less complex instrument that sounds similar to the harmonium. Nic and Heather Dillon met at an Illinois State University and became friends. The two of them met at a music class and became fascinated by the instrument.
While buying a harmonium from India may seem like a simple process, it is best to purchase it in person. The Delhi-built harmoniums are available in several ranges. The average range is three octaves. Beginners should aim to work within two and a half octaves. If you can’t find one of these in your local store, ask for it in a yoga studio or Hindu temple.
If you are not confident enough to tune a Delhi-built harmonium yourself, you can purchase a quality instrument through a local store or online. These harmoniums are often connected to kirtan, a traditional call and response chanting practice. Buying a good harmonium can be a rewarding experience, as well as an educational one. So, what do you have to do to tune a harmonium?
Mellower reeds
If you’re looking for a mellower sounding harmonium, you’ve come to the right place. There are a number of benefits to using mellower reeds in your harmonium tuning. First of all, they produce a more beautiful sound. After some use, they’ll loosen up and sound even better. However, they can be hard to tune, and will require regular tuning to keep the instrument in its desired pitch.
The sound of a harmonium is produced by air streaming through tuned metal reeds. There are different types of harmoniums, and each has a different scale and reeds for varying pitches. Also, different harmoniums come with different reeds, or bordunes, which allow the player to adjust the pitch. For example, Indian harmoniums are small and portable, and often come with mellower reeds for harmonium tuning. The Bina and Monoj Kumar harmoniums are two excellent choices for beginners.
The reeds on harmoniums vary based on climate. Those in India have harmoniums tuned to the SA or tonic, which makes them more suitable for vocal music in that climate. In contrast, harmoniums tuned to Just Intonation sound sweet, but they’re only useful for one or two keys and can only produce a single note.
The mellower reeds are usually made of yellow brass. However, harmoniums made with older German reeds usually sound brighter than those with newer reeds. Those that have four reed banks have a special tone and are not common. This is because harmoniums made in Delhi are slightly different in quality.
If you’re a beginner and want to start playing harmonium music, you can try a clarinet-style reed. This reed produces a warm, round tone that is similar to that of the bassoon. If you’re an experienced harmonium player, mellow reeds will give you a better sound overall.
Changing the pitch of a reed
There are several methods for varying the pitch of a harmonium. In some models, you can even change the reeds on a harmonium. A beginner should begin by learning the simplest methods. A good harmonium should be kept in a dark and cool place, avoiding direct sunlight. Changing the pitch of a reed on a harmonium can be difficult, but with practice you’ll soon become an expert.
First, make sure the reed isn’t loose. Some harmoniums can have a leak. This can happen due to warped timber or a leaky seal. If this happens, it’s easy to fix by placing strips of paper under the offending reed banks. Changing the pitch of a harmonium reed can also cause the tone to lose volume and clarity.
Another way to adjust the pitch of a harmonium reed is to use the expression stop. This lever will allow you to bypass the air reservoir in the middle. If the bellows are too weak, they’ll fail to produce the desired sound. Changing the pitch of a reed on a harmonium is easy once you learn the technique.
While the history of the harmonium is closely connected to that of wind harmonicas, it is not known if it originated from the ancient Greeks. However, it has gained widespread popularity in the last fifty years. The ancient Greeks didn’t play the harmonium, so it took on a Greek name. That is one reason why it is so often mistaken for an Indian instrument.
In most cases, the difference between the pitch of two reeds on a harmonium is nine vibrations per second, but it can be as much as three. This difference is often sufficient to make the harmonium sound better. The most difficult method, however, is to measure the pitch of a reed manually by listening to the instrument and reading the reed’s pitch.
Earlier instruments usually had a single complete set of vibrators. Alexandra Debain gathered the work of many of her predecessors to develop an instrument that could have four separate stops on a single keyboard. The result was a sound that was distinctly different from each other and was called the “harmonyphone.”
About The Author
Mindy Vu is a part time shoe model and professional mum. She loves to cook and has been proclaimed the best cook in the world by her friends and family. She adores her pet dog Twinkie, and is happily married to her books.