Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica and Sheet-Music [Updated]

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

The confusion arises between the G harmonica and G clef -- which are not the same thing.


The G harmonica is set up with the G major a scale.  


The G harmonica, on the other hand, doesn't really have a C scale (without adjustments) beause it has, of course, the F#. 


But the G harmonica richter has more notes below middle C than the C harmonica. And if you want more bass notes, this is one way to "get more lower end" on a richter harp. Problem is that F# and


The G clef is thus called  because the clef signature wraps around the second line of the treble clef. That second line is the note G. Hence, the name of G clef. The bass clef has a modified F that wraps around the F note in the bass clef. The bass is sometimes known as the F clef.


For further clarification; the Mel Bay books put middle C at blow 4 on a standard, treble clef, aka a G clef. This is a matter of simplification.  Obviously, blow 1 is middle C on the richter. But in order to make it easier for beginners to understand and read music, the convention is changed so that blow 4 is middle C. 


Every Good Boy Does Fine stands for the five lines; F A C E for the spaces between the lines. in the treble clef. (Good Boys Deserve Fudge Always for the bass lines, bottom to top.)


In the Mel Bay books, the first line of the treble staff is E. The second line is G.


I really have no idea what a C clef is or how it might relate to the harmonica.


But this is certainly interesting. I'm looking into the J scale because I was to learn jazz.


Phil








-----Original Message-----
From: Arthur Jennings <timeistight@xxxxxxxxx>
To: Harmonicology [Neil Ashby] <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: philharpn <philharpn@xxxxxxx>; harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tue, May 20, 2014 1:27 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonica and Sheet-Music [Updated]



Just to be sure we're all talking about the same thing, this is a G clef (a.k.a. treble clef):





This is the much less common C clef:






Unlike the G and F (i.e.bass) clefs, the C clef is commonly moved to different lines on the staff to accommodate different ranges:








On Tue, May 20, 2014 at 9:52 AM, Harmonicology [Neil Ashby] <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

P-S: If Mel Bay actually used the "G-Clef" in that manner (instead of the moveable "C-Clef") then they might have misused the "G-Clef" and that is not consistent with being in the business of music education.


/Neil Ashby (" http://thebuskingproject.com/busker/2025/ ")

Phil:

Also: You wrote that "Mel Bay -- use the treble clef (G clef) starting on 4 hole blow"; I have not seen those books but think that you might be referring to a "C-Clef" which is adjustably positioned to indicate the "C" note however the staff is used.

That adjustable "C-Clef" technique would work for those particular books but is not the usual convention for musical score of popular tunes.

/Neil Ashby (" http://thebuskingproject.com/busker/2025/ ")







-- 
Arthur Jennings
http://www.timeistight.com