Rock bend harmonica

Abstract

A harmonica with a repeating major pentatonic scale configured across the draw reeds and a repeating major pentatonic scale a half step lower than the draw reeds configured across the blow reeds. This configuration produces a chromatic instrument where all the notes of a major pentatonic scale can be bent down to the next lower scale tone for musicality. It provides more notes and more bends when playing pentatonic scales and the repeating pattern facilitates easy learning.

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 draw 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 blow reeds are constructed and arranged such that their predetermined pitches starting on said predetermined cavity produce the scale degrees 6b, 7, 2b, 3b, 5b in a repeating pattern.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(1) Rock Bend (Table 6) has a repeating pentatonic scale configured across the draw reeds. It has a repeating pentatonic scale a half step lower than the draw reeds configured across the blow reeds. The 5-hole repeating pattern facilitates ease of learning and musicality. This instrument is chromatic; all notes are present.

(2) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Rock Bend Tuning Key of C Blow reeds - G# minor Draw reeds - A minor F# G# B C# D# F# G# B C# D# A C D E G A C D E G G# B C# D# F# G# B C# D# F# G A# C D F G A# C D F A E A E

OPERATION

(3) The blow reeds are a repeating G# minor pentatonic scale. The draw reeds play a repeating A minor pentatonic scale (A, C, D, E, G) and every hole can be bent down to the next lower scale tone providing the ability to bend to and from every scale tone of the pentatonic scale (Table 7). This creates a pleasing sound, mimicking the human voice. It makes it sing. Table 8 charts Rock Bend D minor pentatonic. Table 9 charts Rock Bend E minor pentatonic. Table 10 charts Rock Bend by scale degrees.

(4) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Rock Bend A minor pentatonic - A C D E G 20 notes A C D E G A C D E G G C D G C D A E A E

(5) TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Rock Bend D minor pentatonic - D F G AC 18 notes A C D   G A C D   G G C D F G C D F A A

(6) TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Rock Bend E minor pentatonic - E G A B D 20 notes B B A   D E G A   D E G B B G D G D A E A E

(7) TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Rock Bend by scale degrees 5.sub.b 6.sub.b 7 2.sub.b 3.sub.b 5.sub.b 6.sub.b 7 2.sub.b 3.sub.b 6 1 2 3 5 6 1 2 3 5

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

(8) The reader will see this instrument provides the ability to bend to and from every note of the major pentatonic scale, making it sing. It has more notes and bends available for the I, IV, and V pentatonic scales. Being chromatic, it can play every scale conceivable. The 5-hole repeating pattern is easier to learn than a non-linear configuration.

(9) Though the above examples are in a certain key with the tonic on a certain cavity/hole, this harmonica can be made in all keys and the tonic can be placed on any cavity.