Mechanical Music Digest  Archives
You Are Not Logged In Login/Get New Account
Please Log In. Accounts are free!
Logged In users are granted additional features including a more current version of the Archives and a simplified process for submitting articles.
Home Archives Calendar Gallery Store Links Info

End-of-Year Fundraising Drive In Progress. Please visit our home page to see this and other announcements: https://www.mmdigest.com     Thank you. --Jody

MMD > Archives > March 2009 > 2009.03.24 > 03Prev  Next


Scale of Rolmonica Harmonica
By Nicholas Simons

The scale of the 12-note Rolmonica is as follows:

  E F G B C D E F G A C B

The top two notes are shown reversed, with the top C being the 11th
note up.  This unusual arrangement is correct.  The roll is 3-1/4
inches wide, with the lowest note on the right when playing downhill
off the back of the spool.

This scale, and over sixty other small scales, is shown in The Organette
Book by Kevin McElhone, published by the MBSGB.

For a roll-playing harmonica project one could also check out the
16-note chromatic rolls made for the Chromatic Rolmonica, Play-a-Sax,
Melody Player, Fireside Player, Plarola and Nor-Cos.  These play variants
of the same roll with slight spool differences and variations to the
positions of the top notes.  These scales are also given in the book.

An alternative would be to use organette rolls where you would have
a much greater choice of music, but would also end up with a much larger
harmonica!  I suggest the 14-note Jubal Orchestrone or the 16-note
Musette.  Rolls could be cut down into individual tunes and respooled.

Good luck, and best regards from the UK,
Nicholas Simons


(Message sent Tue 24 Mar 2009, 09:34:33 GMT, from time zone GMT.)

Key Words in Subject:  Harmonica, Rolmonica, Scale

Home    Archives    Calendar    Gallery    Store    Links    Info   


Enter text below to search the MMD Website with Google



CONTACT FORM: Click HERE to write to the editor, or to post a message about Mechanical Musical Instruments to the MMD

Unless otherwise noted, all opinions are those of the individual authors and may not represent those of the editors. Compilation copyright 1995-2024 by Jody Kravitz.

Please read our Republication Policy before copying information from or creating links to this web site.

Click HERE to contact the webmaster regarding problems with the website.

Please support publication of the MMD by donating online

Please Support Publication of the MMD with your Generous Donation

Pay via PayPal

No PayPal account required

                                     
Translate This Page