RE: [Harp-L] What key is it?



If you know the chords to a song, it's easy to figure out the key.
Spell the chords and then figure out what major scale it is.
Finding a harp that gives you the notes you need is another task.
Sometimes songs are in more than one key! Transient modulation occurs in the
tune Layla--the verses are in E and the chorus is in F (Dm). 
I'll use the Work Song just for fun--I'm doing it in Gm, so the other chords
are Cm and D7.
Gm is G Bb D, Cm is C Eb G, and D7 is D F# A C.
So the notes are A Bb C D Eb F# and G.
Two flats, so it's Bb, and the F# indicates that it's Gm with a raised
seventh.
There's a C# in the melody too, but it's a passing tone. There is also an F
natural.
So you would use a harp that gives you (mostly) a Bb tonality.
I have great success using a G Melody Maker for this tune--I use a draw bend
for the Bb, and the Eb is not in the melody (but can be played as a blow
bend on the top). I can draw bend the all important blue F (F, F# and a
microtonal note).
I just tried it on a D Melody Maker I have handy, and find that the valve I
put on hole 7 lets me get the minor third in the second octave too--that's
important, it's in a minor key!
Gary




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