Learning Chromatic

[Winslow Yerxa <76450.3230@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

TO: internet:harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Jim C. asks about transposing songs on the chromatic.

Try starting out with simple tunes - real simple ditties, like
Mary Had A little Lamb and such. Then try transposing arpeggios
and scale fragments - individual ones, divorced frm the context
of an exercise. This will help some.

The real nitty gritty is learning to understand (and apply to the
harmonica) the portable relationships inherent in most music. For
instance, when expressed in scale degrees, Mary Had a Little Lamb
is

3 - 2 - 1 -2 - 3 - 3 - 3, 2 - 2 - 2, 3 - 5 - 5, etc.

As long as you know what notes 1, 2, 3 and 5 are in any given
key, and know where those notes are on the harmonica, you can
transpose them. The more you work at this, the closer you can
get to transposing at sight.

Try working out 10 or 15 simple little ditties, starting in your
most comfortable key and working outward, either up the chromatic
scale, or around the cycle of fifths. Then find some more tunes,
longer or more melodically intricate or harmonically
sophisticated. If your music theory is a little foggy, brush up
on it - it's a huge help.

Part of the problem with the harmonica is that you can't SEE the
note layout. I have something called a tuning diagram for
chromatic that lays out all the notes on a tuning grid. This lets
you see the notes in relation to one another, and draw (either
literally or mentally) the pathway (sequence of actions) required
to play any particular melody. You can also use it as a
notefinder by filling in the note names on a blank tuning
diagram.

Anyone who wants a tuning diagram page to copy and use at will,
send me your mailing address and I'll send you one (It doesn't