Re: [Harp-L] What is a scale??..damn kid, what the heck's a position??

[Philharpn@xxxxxxx]

Just to put all this wisdom into prospective: Select a tune and play it in 
its usual key.

Then switch harps to harps in other keys ( C to A and F or whatever) and play 
it in two other keys just to get a sense of what it sounds like in the other 
keys.

If you have to play from notation or tab, go for it. It might explain this 
discussion better.





In a message dated 12/7/06 10:29:06 PM, leone@xxxxxxxx writes:


> 
> On Dec 7, 2006, at 8:38 PM, Winslow Yerxa wrote:
> 
> > It may be good enough for the wind instrument family, but music
> > publishers and harmonica players have other preferences.
> >
> > Publishers insist on writing everything out at actual pitch, or 
> > perhaps
> > octave displaced, regardless of the key of harmonica used. This is 
> > also
> > true of harmonica parts in BRoadway musicals, regardless of the key 
> > and
> > type of harmonica indicated on the score.
> >
> > Players like the position idea. Nobody imposed it on them.
> >
> > I once wrote out a Toots Thielemans solo that had been played in the
> 
> Theilmans uses a LOT of Db position. (So does Wonder)(So does Hayman)
> (So did Diamond). I used to choke on my false teeth any time someone 
> said 'so & so ONLY plays a C chrom and never plays anything else. 
> What a crock. While this may be true for a few accomplished players, 
> why the he!! would you DO this. You're limiting yourself at a time 
> when we have the advantage of HAVING various keyed chromos. Why would 
> you row UP Niagara falls, when you can use a helicopter.
> 
> > key of concert Ab but on a G harmonica (chromatic).
> >
> > Now, if you're used to playing a C harmonica and pick up a G harp,
> > everything comes out 4 notes lower. Play what should be a C, and it
> > sounds a G. Play an F and it comes out C, and so on.
> >
> > Now this particular solo was in the key of Ab. But on a G harmonica,
> > that plays as the key of Db. So I wrote it out in Db. This confused 
> > the
> > hell out of everyone, even though it was clearly labeled.
> 
> I don't understand why this would confuse anyone (BUT, I believe 
> you). If the piece is a written piece, the player should READ the 
> notes and play what's written. Notes are only notes. Why does 
> everyone make a big deal out of them. What does it matter, for 
> instance if I play Harlem Nocturne in Eb or Bb or whatever, Just play 
> the notes. My writings 7 years ago about every note on an instrument 
> being an 'address' and one had to be THE postman and deliver the 
> 'mail' AT the address in order to hold one's job seems to have gone 
> unnoticed. This is the price I pay for not being famous and therefore 
> getting no respect.
> 
> Other instruments have 'set' scales. ( I would go so far as to say 
> that sop-sax, ten-sax, clar ALL have the same pattern). The notes are 
> always in the same place. Chromo changes every time you change key. 
> At least diatonics have the advantage of simply changing harps to 
> change key. The breath patterns stay the same.
> >
> > Harmonica players just don't have the idea of a transposing instrument
> > in their heads. It's a foreign concept to most. Even though they use
> > the idea all the time and call it a "position."
> 
> I will be forwarding a key transposition chart (which has been sent 
> out about every year). If THAT chart doesn't make things clear, I 
> don't what CAN. As always Wizard, your posts are quite enlightening. 
> Keep up the good work. :
> 
> Smokey-Joe
> 
> >
> > Winslow
> >
> > --- Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> >> It may be good enough for the wind instrument family, but music
> >> publishers and harmonica players have other preferences.
> >>
> >> Publishers insist on writing everything out at actual pitch, or
> >> perhaps
> >> octave displaced, regardless of the key of harmonica used. This is
> >> also
> >> true of harmonica parts in BRoadway musicals, regardless of the key
> >> and
> >> type of harmonica indicated on the score.
> >>
> >> Players like the position idea. Nobody imposed it on them.
> >>
> >> I once wrote out a Toots Thielemans solo that had been played in the
> >> key of concert Ab but on a G harmonica (chromatic).
> >>
> >> Now, if you're used to playing a C harmonica and pick up a G,
> >> everything comes out 4 notes lower. Play what should be a C, and it
> >> sounds a G. Play and F and it comes out C, and so on.
> >>
> >> Now this particular solo was in the key of Ab. But on a G harmonica,
> >> that plays as the key of Db. So I wrote it out in Db. This confused
> >> the
> >> hell out of everyone, even though it was clearly labeled.
> >>
> >> Harmonica players just don't have the idea of a transposing
> >> instrument
> >> in their heads. It's a foreign concept to most. Even though they use
> >> the idea all the time and call it a "position."
> >>
> >> Winslow
> >>
> 
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