January 2001: On Levers And Tuning - Unit 1 - Half Steps

In response to a number of questions on this subject that have been received via the "Ask Stephanie" link, our first unit this year will address the great puzzle of lever usage and tuning of folk harps. Before we can manipulate levers we must first understand half steps.

A HALF STEP is the smallest differential between any two notes of our tonal system. Were you to look at a piano keyboard, a half step is the distance between any two neighboring notes. This may be a move from a white key to the next black key (up or down), a black key to a white key (up or down), or a white key to a white key with no other key intervening.

Movement from note to note via half steps is called CHROMATIC movement

Following is what we call a chromatic chart: Study it very carefully!!

	C#		D#		E#	F#	G#		A#		B#
C		D		E	F			A		B	C
	Db		Eb	Fb		Gb	Ab		Bb	Cb

· When moving upward by half steps, the notes are named as SHARPS
· When moving downward by half steps, the notes are named as FLATS
· The notes on the center line are all NATURALS.
· If you raise a natural note by one half step it becomes a sharp.
· If you lower a natural note by one half step it becomes a flat.
· If you cancel a sharp or flat it becomes a NATURAL
· The notes that are connected by lines (ENHARMONICS) have exactly the same sound, but are named differently and ARE played on different strings.

See you next month.

Stephanie

Would you like to ask Stephanie a question? Look for the "Ask Stephanie" link below...

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