Hello, Chromatonic.
On the "spiral", "circular" or "zirkular" harp (all the same harp, with different names),the breath pattern
is the same from lowest pitched reed to highest (no reversals of breath pattern):
( + ) = exhale; ( - ) = inhale; ( | ) = hole divider
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
||+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - || (on a 10-mouthpiece-holes harmonica)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
||+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - |+ - || (a 12-mouthpiece-holes harmonica)
The circular reed placement system may be the one that you are discussing. The 12-hole slide chromatic circular
has no redundant (repeated) notes between octaves. As a result, the scale pattern is reversed between octaves:
In the following chart, the LARGE letters are exhale notes; the small letters are inhale notes:
This is the setup on my Seydel Chromatic Deluxe Baritone Circular harp, range C3 to E6:
||DO re |MI fa |SO la |TI do |RE mi |FA so |LA ti |DO re |MI fa |SO la |TI do |RE mi||
Robert "Crazy about Circular" Coble's setup starts on "SO" of the scale (G3-B6). Both of these 12-hole harps are
slide chromatic harps.
Circular harmonicas are single-reed per note harmonicas. They offer many more chords than a standard 10-or 12-
hole Richter system or solo system harmonica. Diatonic scale root chords through 11ths are playable, on each scale
degree. With tongue blocking, more chords are added. Bending and possibly overblowing techniques are available.
Circular harps are usually diatonic harmonicas (one factory-installed major scale); but a few of us have slide chromatic
harps with circular reed placement (2 factory-installed diatonic scales, a 1/2 step apart, like other slide chromatics).
The circular slide chromatics are special order harmonicas, custom-made by the Seydel company.
I'm not an employee of any harmonica manufacturer, distributor or seller.
Best Regards
John Broecker