DE29610066U1 - Bass section for a harmonica - Google Patents

Description

Bass part for a harmonica

The present invention relates to a bass part for a harmonica, consisting of a frame with fingerboard, buttons, possibly bass funnels, a bass mechanism with flap covers and at least one bass box and at least one accompaniment stick, each with reed plates and reeds arranged therein for single and/or multiple voices

Since the invention of the harmonica, numerous regional forms of this instrument have developed with characteristic properties, both in terms of the sound and the appearance of the instruments. However, all harmonicas have in common that they are essentially made up of three parts: the treble or melody part, the bellows and the bass part or bottom.

The typical form of harmonica in Austria is the "Styrian harmonica", which is used in folk music in Austria, South Tyrol, Bavaria and Slovenia and has had a decisive influence on it. The Styrian harmonica is a diatonic and variable-tone instrument, i.e. when a button is pressed, a different tone is produced when pulling and pushing.

The sound is produced by means of striking tongues, which are riveted to a reed plate by their base in such a way that they can vibrate freely in the reed slot in the reed plate. The compressed and suction air generated by the movement of the bellows is guided through channels, the so-called chambers, to the respective reed plates or reeds, whereby the latter are set into vibration. Each reed plate contains two tongues, one of which responds to compressed air and the other to draft air, and each produces a different tone.

In order to achieve broad and full tones, the treble section of the Styrian harmonica usually has multi-chords, e.g. two or three-chord voices. Two-chords in the treble section means that when a button is pressed, two reeds are set in vibration to produce a certain tone, the frequencies of which differ by a beat of up to six hertz.

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The basses of the Styrian harmonica are divided into helicon basses and accompanying chords according to the type of tone produced, with the helicon basses contributing significantly to the characteristic sound of the Styrian harmonica. This sound is based, among other things, on the use of large reeds built into the so-called bass box. With helicon basses, a distinction is also made between single-chord and multi-chord, e.g. double-chord, basses or voices, depending on the number of reeds set in vibration to produce a tone (accompanying chords, on the other hand, are always only single-chord). With double-chord helicon basses, two reeds are set in vibration by the compressed and suction air at the push of a button, for example the fundamental note C and its upper octave c. With three-chord basses, in addition to the fundamental note C and its upper octave c, the double octave c above it sounds ¹ . In contrast to the voices of the treble section, polyphonic basses do not produce beats, but at least two tones that differ by exactly one octave.

The use of multi-choir, especially two-choir, helicon basses is particularly desirable, as this produces a fuller and more even sound. When using a single tongue to produce the sound, the vibration of the tongue is unsteady and irregular depending on the intensity of the air flow, so that a constant tone cannot be produced. The tone becomes deeper with rapid, firm pressure or pull on the bellows, and somewhat higher with slow bellows movement, whereby tone fluctuations of up to four hertz can occur.

However, when installing multi-voiced helicon basses, difficulties arise due to the construction of the harmonica and bass boxes and the physical and acoustic conditions required to produce a satisfactory sound. A certain amount of space is necessary for resonance and thus a satisfactory sound, but this is only available to a limited extent. On the other hand, the inclusion of additional voices in the treble section requires the inclusion of additional basses or reed plates, which further limits the space available for installing the individual basses.

The installation of a larger number of basses or of exclusively polyphonic helicon basses in the known manner therefore results in an increase in the dimensions of the harmonica, which, however, significantly impairs the characteristic appearance of the instrument, its sound qualities and its handling.

For these reasons, compromises are forced in the traditional design of the Styrian harmonica. For example, some of the less frequently played helicon basses are only made with one chord, and the inclusion of additional basses, even if they are only single chords, is only possible to a limited extent.

It is therefore the aim of the present invention to design a bass part of a harmonica by means of a special arrangement of bass boxes and accompaniment sticks in such a way that a larger number of basses, including multi-choir basses, can be installed without impairing the sound properties or changing the characteristic appearance of the instrument.

A harmonica with helicon basses is known from AT-PS No. 212.680, in which the accompanying stick ("secondary stick") with the voices is arranged in two rows next to each other and directly on the bottom of the bass box, which in the present invention corresponds to the bass part. The helicon bass box is slightly raised above the accompanying stick by a support. This arrangement of the accompanying stick is intended to make the bass part smaller and lighter and to shorten the airways leading to the voices, so that no greater effort is required to achieve a corresponding volume. However, the horizontal arrangement of the accompanying stick does not mean that a larger number of basses can be built into a harmonica designed in this way. The aim of making the airways leading to the voices as short as possible does not suggest the present invention in the harmonica described in AT-PS No. 212.680.

The aim of the present invention is achieved in that at least one further reed-plate (15) and reed-reeds (16) for single and/or multiple choirs are provided.

' the bass box(es) (1) is provided with a bass box (14) arranged offset in stages, into which an air duct (17) having a plurality of chambers (17a) or a plurality of separate, preferably parallel to one another, possibly having a plurality of chambers air ducts (17) open, wherein the air ducts (17) having no chambers (17a) and the chambers (17a) can be closed at the end opposite the mouth of the respective air duct (17) with flap covers (18) which are connected to at least one button (12) via a bass mechanism (11), and the chambers (17a) are arranged parallel to one another and extend from the mouth of the respective air duct (17) to the end opposite the mouth of the respective air duct (17).

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, reed plates and reeds for two-choir bass voices are installed in the bass boxes.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, it is a bass part for a diatonic, variable-tone harmonica.

The invention is explained below with reference to the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a cross section through an embodiment of the bass part according to the invention, in which, for reasons of expediency, only the elements essential for sound production are shown, Fig. 2 shows a Styrian harmonica which contains a bass part according to the invention and Fig. 3 shows a cross section through a known embodiment of a Styrian harmonica.

The bass part shown in Fig. 1 consists of a bass box 1 with reed plates 2 and reeds 3 arranged therein. It also has an accompanying stick 4 with reed plates 5 and reeds 6. Several openings 7, 8 are arranged in both the bass box 1 and the accompanying stick 4, which can be closed by flap covers 9, 10. The flap covers are operated by buttons 12 via a bass mechanism II known per se. The bass part also includes several bass funnels 13. In addition to the bass box 1, the bass part contains another bass box 14, which is also equipped with reed plates 15 and reeds 16 and is connected in stages to the bass box 1.

'is arranged offset, with an air duct 17 opening into the bass box 14, which has several chambers (17a) that are arranged parallel to one another and extend from the mouth of the air duct (17) to the end opposite the mouth of the air duct (17). The chambers 17a have openings 19 that can be closed with flap covers 18 at the end opposite the mouth of the air duct 17, which flap covers 18 are also actuated via the bass mechanism 11 by the buttons 12.

The harmonica shown in Fig. 2 has a treble part with a frame 20, a fingerboard 21 and a bellows protector 22. Buttons 23 are arranged in rows on the fingerboard 21. The figure shows an example of a 3-row instrument, but versions with 4 or 5 rows are also common, which makes it possible to install several tunings (pitches). The buttons 23 are each connected to harmonica levers 24, at the opposite ends of which there are flap covers 25 which close openings 26 in the frame 20, behind which openings 26 the tuning rods 27 with the tuning plates 28 are located, in which the reeds 29 are arranged. The harmonica levers are protected by a cover 30.

The bellows 31 are connected to the treble part. On the side of the bellows 31 opposite the treble part there is the bass part according to the invention with a frame 32 and a fingerboard 33. Buttons 12 are also arranged in rows on the fingerboard 33, with two rows being shown as an example. The fingerboard 33 also contains several bass funnels 13. Known embodiments of the instrument usually have six bass funnels. The frame also contains an air button 34 with which a flap cover (not shown) can be operated in order to close or open an opening (not shown) arranged in the side wall of the frame facing the bellows as required, several harmonica feet 35 for setting the instrument down and a holder (not shown) for a hand strap 36. The bass part also includes the bass box 1 arranged within the frame 32, in which the reed plates 2 and reeds 3 of the helicon basses are arranged, as well as an accompanying reed post 4 with reed

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■plates 5 and reeds 6. In the bass box 1 and in the accompanying sound post 4, several openings 7, 8 are provided, which can be closed with flap covers 9, 10, which flap covers 9, 10 are controlled by a bass mechanism 11 via the buttons 12. The bass part also comprises another bass box 14, which is also equipped with reed plates 15 and reeds 16 and is arranged offset in steps from the bass box 1, with at least one air duct 17 opening into the bass box 14, which has several chambers (17a) which are arranged parallel to one another and extend from the mouth of the respective air duct (17) to the end opposite the mouth of the respective air duct (17). The chambers 17a have openings 19 that can be closed with flap covers 18 at the end opposite the mouth of the air duct 17, which flap covers 18 are also actuated via the bass mechanism 11 by the buttons 12.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of a known Styrian harmonica, in which the same numbering as in Fig. 2 was chosen. The bass part of the harmonica shown in this figure differs from the bass part according to the invention in particular in that it only has a single bass box 1 and the arrangement of the latter requires the bellows to be relocated to the inside of the bellows. The installation of a larger number of helicon basses or the installation of exclusively multi-choir helicon basses is not possible with this known embodiment.

The bass part according to the invention can be installed in any known form of Styrian harmonica. Although the bass part according to the invention has been described for use in a Styrian harmonica, this bass part can, if necessary, be installed in any harmonica in which such bass boxes are used or in which the sound quality of helicon basses is desired, after a slight adaptation in terms of dimensions, which is, however, within the average skill of the person skilled in the art.

Claims (3)

- 7 -♦*«• ** *•··** *·»*# %»·♦Claims 1. Bass part for a harmonica, consisting of a frame with fingerboard, buttons, optionally bass funnels, a bass mechanism with flap covers and at least one bass box and at least one accompanying stick, each with reed plates and reeds for single and/or multiple choirs arranged therein, characterized in that at least one further bass box (14) equipped with reed plates (15) and reeds (16) for single and/or multiple choirs, arranged offset in steps to the bass box or boxes (1) is provided, into which an air duct (17) having several chambers (17a) or several, separate, preferably parallel to each other, optionally having several chambers, air ducts (17) open, the air ducts (17) having no chambers (17a) and the chambers (17a) at the end opposite the opening of the respective air duct (17) with Can be closed with flap covers (18) which are connected to at least one button (12) via a bass mechanism (11), and the chambers (17a) are arranged parallel to each other and extend from the mouth of the respective air duct (17) to the end opposite the mouth of the respective air duct (17). 2. Bass part according to claim 1, characterized in that reed plates (2,15) and reeds (3,16) for two-choir bass voices are arranged in the bass boxes (1,14). 3. Bass part according to claim 1 or 2 for a diatonic, variable-tone harmonica.