Talk:Tremolo harmonica

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I believe the usage of "scale" tuning is this article is incorrect[edit]

I believe the description of the "scale" tuning in the article is incorrect. What is described as "scale" tuning in the article is effectively "solo" tuning - obvious by the fact that the tonic is repeated twice in order to repeat the same pattern at the octave.

According to this page: https://www.patmissin.com/ffaq/q15.html , "scale" tuning refers not to Solo tuning but to the tuning common in East Asia (which does not double the tonic, and does not repeat at the octave):

"There is another variation of the tremolo harmonica that has long been the commonest layout in Asia [...] It is often called "scale tuning""

This other page confirms the use of "scale" to describe the tuning used in East Asia: https://thetremolo.ponderworthy.com/lexicon.html

The Sato/Huang, Scale, or Asian System This is a very nice note/reed placement system invented by Hidero Sato and furthered by Cham-ber Huang [...] Most Tombo, Swan, Suzuki, Huang, and Merano instruments, among others, have this sort of layout.

I have looked at manufacturer's websites (specifically: Hohner, Seydel, Suzuki, East Top, Tombo) - none of them refer to "scale" tuning - either as described in this article, or to refer to the tuning most common in East Asia.

Also reading various English-language forums on the internet, people tend to call it "Asian tuning" - again "scale tuning" does not seem to be used much either way.

My proposal would be to edit this article either to:

Suggest the tuning commonly used in East Asia is the tuning called "scale" tuning, as per the two web pages above ; OR

Remove reference to the scale tuning altogether

Leaving the article as it is is incorrect in my opinion.

I'm happy to do the change myself - but thought I'd discuss this first here, as the original authors may have sources I am unaware of. Alice and the Wiki (talk) 20:05, 20 May 2024 (UTC)[reply]