Pentatonic harmonica

Abstract

Harmonicas with the blow reeds forming a repeating pentatonic scale and the draw reeds forming a repeating pentatonic scale to facilitate ease of playability and musicality when playing pentatonic scales.

Claims

1. A harmonica comprising a body providing a series of adjacent cavities and a plurality of reeds each of which is responsive to the passage of air to produce a musical note of a predetermined pitch, two reeds being associated with each cavity such that one reed is the blow reed responsive to blowing on said cavity and the other is the draw reed responsive to drawing on said cavity, said harmonica being characterized in that: (a) said blow reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on a predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, in a repeating pattern and (b) said draw reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on said predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 in a repeating pattern.

2. A harmonica comprising a body providing a series of adjacent cavities and a plurality of reeds each of which is responsive to the passage of air to produce a musical note of a predetermined pitch, two reeds being associated with each cavity such that one reed is the blow reed responsive to blowing on said cavity and the other is the draw reed responsive to drawing on said cavity, said harmonica being characterized in that: (a) said blow reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on a predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, in a repeating pattern and (b) said draw reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on said predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 2, 4, 5, 6, 1 in a repeating pattern.

3. A harmonica comprising a body providing a series of adjacent cavities and a plurality of reeds each of which is responsive to the passage of air to produce a musical note of a predetermined pitch, two reeds being associated with each cavity such that one reed is the blow reed responsive to blowing on said cavity and the other is the draw reed responsive to drawing on said cavity, said harmonica being characterized in that: (a) said blow reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on a predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, in a repeating pattern and (b) said draw reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on said predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 2, 3, 5, 6, 1 in a repeating pattern.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—FIRST EMBODIMENT

(1) One embodiment, Pentatonic I-V (Table 9) has a pentatonic scale (the One) configured across the blow reeds and across the draw reeds is a pentatonic scale a fifth higher (the Five).

(2) TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Pentatonic I-V G A C D E G A C D E A B D E G A B D E G Ab Bb Db Eb Gb Ab Bb Db Eb Gb F F Blow reeds - A Minor Pentatonic Draw reeds - E Minor Pentatonic

(3) Operation

(4) With the scales being configured in a linear fashion as opposed to the traditional mostly blow, draw, blow, draw pattern many trill and glissando sections are available.

(5) As this is a 5-hole repeating pattern most phrases/melodies can be replicated in the same configuration an octave higher. This is valuable for musicality and ease of playability. This instrument is easier to play for beginners and seasoned players alike. It is easier to learn also as the top five holes are the same as the bottom five.

(6) It is designed primarily to play the major pentatonic, minor pentatonic and blues scales, but being chromatic it can play every scale conceivable. The One and Five pentatonic scales configured as they are give us easy access to the One, Four, and Five pentatonic scales we want: A minor pentatonic, D minor pentatonic, and E minor pentatonic. In Table 10 we see Pentatonic I-V A minor pentatonic. It has eighteen notes and fourteen trills. There is a 10-hole blow glissando, a 4-hole draw glissando and a 3-hole draw glissando. Table 11 charts D minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-V. It has sixteen notes, seven trills and two 4-hole blow glissandos. Table 12 charts E minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-V. It has eighteen notes and fourteen trills. There is a 10-hole draw glissando and a 4-hole blow glissando. Table 13 charts Pentatonic I-V by scale degrees.

(7) TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Pentatonic I-V G A C D E G A C D E A D E G A D E G A minor pentatonic - A C D E G 18 notes

(8) TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 Pentatonic I-V G A C D G A C D A D G |A D G F F D minor pentatonic - D FG A C 16 notes

(9) TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Pentatonic I-V G A D E G A D E A B D E G A B D E G E minor pentatonic - E G A B D 18 notes

(10) TABLE-US-00013 TABLE 13 Pentatonic I-V by scale degrees 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 6 7 2 3 5 6 7 2 3 5

Additional Embodiment Description

(11) Embodiment Pentatonic I-IV (Table 14) has a pentatonic scale (the One) configured across the blow reeds and across the draw reeds is a pentatonic scale a fourth higher (the Four).

(12) TABLE-US-00014 TABLE 14 Pentatonic I-IV G A C D E G A C D E A C D F G A C D F G Ab B Db E Gb Ab B Db E Gb Bb Eb F Bb Eb F Blow reeds - A Minor Pentatonic Draw reeds - D Minor Pentatonic

(13) Operation

(14) Table 15 charts A minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-IV. Table 16 charts D minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-IV. Table 17 charts E minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-IV. Table 18 charts Pentatonic I-IV by scale degrees.

(15) TABLE-US-00015 TABLE 15 Pentatonic I-IV G A C D E G A C D E A C D G A C D G E E A minor pentatonic - A C D E G

(16) TABLE-US-00016 TABLE 16 Pentatonic I-IV G A C D G A C D A C D F G A C D F G F F D minor pentatonic - D F G A C

(17) TABLE-US-00017 TABLE 17 Pentatonic I-IV G A D E G A D E A D G A D G B E B E E minor pentatonic - E G A B D

(18) TABLE-US-00018 TABLE 18 Pentatonic I-IV by scale degrees 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 6 1 2 4 5 6 1 2 4 5

(19) Additional Embodiment Description

(20) Embodiment Pentatonic I-I (Table 19) has a pentatonic scale (the One) configured across the blow reeds and across the draw reeds is the same pentatonic scale (the One).

(21) TABLE-US-00019 TABLE 19 Pentatonic I-I G A C D E G A C D E A C D E G A C D E G Ab B Db Eb Gb Ab B Db Eb Gb Bb F Bb F Blow reeds - A Minor Pentatonic Draw reeds - A Minor Pentatonic

(22) Operation

(23) Table 20 charts A minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-I. Table 21 charts D minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-I. Table 22 charts E minor pentatonic on Pentatonic I-I. Table 23 charts Pentatonic I-I by scale degrees.

(24) TABLE-US-00020 TABLE 20 Pentatonic I-I G A C D E G A C D E A C D E G A C D E G A minor pentatonic - A C D E G

(25) TABLE-US-00021 TABLE 21 Pentatonic I-I G A C D G A C D A C D G A C D G F F D minor pentatonic - D FG A C

(26) TABLE-US-00022 TABLE 22 Pentatonic I-I G A D E G A D E A D E G A D E G B B E minor pentatonic - E G A B D

(27) TABLE-US-00023 TABLE 23 Pentatonic I-I by scale degrees 5 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

(28) The reader will see the embodiments provide many trill and glissando sections for ease of playability and musicality. Being chromatic, it can play every scale conceivable and provides more notes than for playing I, IV, V pentatonic scales. Though the above examples are in a certain key with the tonic on a certain hole, this harmonica can be made in all keys and the tonic can be placed on any hole.