Re: [Harp-L] Playing in majors/minors

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Lee Oskar labels their harmonic minor harps in the straight harp key.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Sat, Jul 17, 2010 at 2:00 PM, Joe Spiers <joemopar@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I think I read all the replies, sorry if this repeats what anyone has
> said......
>
> Yes you can buy SP20's in minor tuning, as well as Lee Oskars. They're
> available in natural minor and harmonic minor. You'll probably want Natural
> minor. The notes lay out mostly the same except for the ones that are
> flattened to make it a minor, and it will come as second nature to play one
> if you normally play second position.
>
> Now read closely, this is important.......
>
> Hohner labels their minor keys just like the regular harps, ie an A nat min
> is still an A on the 1 blow. You'd use a Hohner A nat minor to play in E
> minor.
>
> Lee Oskar labels theirs by the crossharp key, ie an A nat min has a D on one
> blow. You would use the LO A nat minor to play in A minor.
>
> So to play in F minor-
> You'd want a Bb nat min SP20, or an F nat minor Lee Oskar.
>
> To play a standard tuned harp in F minor, one of the most commonly called
> keys in your band, you'd be looking at using an Eb to play in third
> position. A regular Eb might be a little high pitched for how you want to
> fit in with your band, or it may be exactly what you're looking for. A low
> Eb is available, but might be pretty challenging as well.
>
> To play in fifth you'd be using a Db harp. It still might sound a little
> high, maybe not, depends on your situation. Anyway my point is that you
> might want to get the natural minor harp to play in F minor, to make it easy
> on yourself, making it easier to make good music, or to more easily play in
> the pitch range that your harp would fit in more appropriately. Also one can
> often play minor in second position just fine if you get control of your
> bends, so you should practice that IMO.
>
> To play in D minor, I'd normally just grab a C harp and play in third, or
> you could use a Bb to play in 5th, either which should be easy enough as far
> as stock-harp-playability goes. But you might find you'd like a G nat minor
> SP20 too.
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "todd allen" <soundguyaudition@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, July 17, 2010 9:51 AM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Playing in majors/minors
>
>
> I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around what harp to use when
> the
> band calls out a song in minor's or major's.For example Ohio by Neil Young
> in D
> minor, or Dancing in the moon light by Van the man in F minor. I typically
> go
> right to cross harp (2nd position) for most everything we do, if that
> doesn't
> sound right I just go through every harp in my case until I find the key
> that's
> least offensive. I have looked at circles of fifths and other charts but
> don't
> get why they just don't include majors and minors in the typical harmonica
> position charts, I guess I just don't get it. do they even relate to the key
> of
> harp or is it more about the notes you play?
> Todd
>
>
>
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>