The following are some of the most common types of tuning used by harmonica manufacturers on their 10 hole, diatonic harmonicas.
Richter Tuning
Richter tuning is the most common tuning type seen on diatonic harmonicas. Named after the 19th century harmonica maker, Joseph Richter, who developed the tuning, it provides the tonic and dominant chords in the lower part of the harmonica (C and G Major, in the example of a C Major Richter tuned harp shown below) and the relevant scale (in the example below, C Major) between holes 4 and 7.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |F |A |
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Country Tuning
Country tuning is a modification of Richter, with the 5th draw reed raised a semitone (so, in the example below, the 5th draw reed has been raised from F to F#). This provides the major seventh scale when playing cross harp, which makes it particularly suitable for country music.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F#|A |B |D |F |A |
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Natural Minor Tuning
Natural minor tuning has blow reeds 2, 5 and 8 and draw reeds 3 and 7 lowered a semitone compared to a Major Richter tuned harmonica.
Natural minor tuned harmonicas are generally played in second position, so, the example below, which shows a C Natural Minor tuned harp in the first position, would generally be used to play G Minor in the second position. Most natural minor harps are labelled in the second position, with the exception of Hohner, who label them in first position.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |
draw: |D |G |Bb|D |F |A |Bb|D |F |A |
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Harmonic Minor Tuning
Harmonic minor tuning, compared to a Richter tuned Major harp, has blow reeds 2, 5 and 8 and draw reeds 6 and 10 lowered a semitone.
Harmonic minor tuned harps are generally labelled in the first position and are typically used to play Eastern European and Asian musical styles.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |Eb|G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |Ab|B |D |F |Ab|
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Melody Maker Tuning
Melody Maker tuning is a variation of country tuning that features primarily on Lee Oskar harmonicas. Designed to be played in the second position (and labelled as such), it provides two complete octaves of the relevant major scale from the 2nd hole draw to the 9th hole blow. The example shown below is for a harp labelled as C major (in the 2nd position).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |F |A |D |F |A |C |F |A |C |F |
draw: |G |C |E |G |B |D |E |G |B |D |
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Paddy Richter Tuning
Paddy Richter tuning was developed by Brendan Power to enable traditional Irish melodies to be more easily played on the diatonic harmonica. This is achieved by raising the 3rd blow one tone; in the example below, raising the 3rd blow G to an A, when compared with standard Richter tuning.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |A |C |E |G |C |E |G |C |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |F |A |
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PowerBender Tuning
PowerBender tuning makes some significant changes to the Richter note layout to emphasise draw bending and reduce the need to overblow to achieve the full chromatic range. Developed by Brendan Power.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |G |C |D |F |A |C |E |A |
draw: |D |G |B |D |E |G |B |D |G |C |
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PowerDraw Tuning
PowerDraw tuning has a consistent blow/draw pattern across all 10 holes. Holes 1-6 have the same note layout as a Richter tuned harp, but 7-10 have the same note layout as the PowerBender tuning, facilitating draw note bends in the upper register of the harmonica. Developed by Brendan Power.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |G |C |E |G |A |C |E |A |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |A |B |D |G |C |
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Canned Heat Tuning
As used on the song ‘On the Road Again’, a simple modification of an A harp whereby the 6 draw reed is raised a semitone.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |A |C#|E |A |C#|E |A |C#|E |A |
draw: |B |E |G#|B |D |G |G#|B |D |F#|
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Wilde Rock Tuning
Whereas Richter tuning was primarily designed for playing major chords and the major scale in first position, Wilde tuning is specifically designed for playing second position minor pentatonic and blues scale licks, throughout all three octaves. Details about Wilde Rock special tuning: Holes one to five are exactly the same as standard tuning. Holes six, seven and eight are the same as holes two, three and four (just an octave higher). Hole nine is the same as hole two (two octaves higher) and the reeds in hole ten have been switched around (so that the ten blow bend is now a draw bend). This makes fast minor pentatonic/blues scale runs much easier and means you no longer need to overblow/overdraw to get the flat third and flat five in the upper octave as they are now available as simple draw bends.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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blow: |C |E |G |C |E |E |G |C |E |A |
draw: |D |G |B |D |F |G |B |D |G |C |
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