Re: Song Keys

[bhollan@xxxxxxx]

     Calvin writes:

> .... When I
> want to figure out the key of a song to jam with, I just pull out, say, a
> Special 20 in C or something.  Then when I listen to the song, I just follow
> the chord progression until it comes back each time to the "1" chord.  When
> it does, I match the key of the song to the corresponding-sounding note on my
> harp among holes 4-7---unless I get lucky with the key of harp I happen to
> have in hand and I'm already in 2nd position; then, of course, 3Blow jives
> with the "1" chord of the song.

     That seems to be a good brief description of how to find your way in
unfamiliar musical territory.  If you do this with the radio or stereo, BTW,
you're free to experiment with different combinations of keys & positions which
you might not be able to get away with while playing with real musicians -- you
might find that third position (D on a C harp) gives you tasty new options in a
major-key blues or rock setting, for example.

>  Question:  Why did no one else mention this
> tecnique in response to requests for info about how to figure out song keys?

     I didn't know how to say it without having to define the "1 chord."  But I
think your paragraph does the job.
     (Note to Harp-L's FAQ committee: Is there going to be a chapter on music
theory??  There ought to be....)

> Thanks...............................Calvin Griffin

     Bill Hollan
     bhollan@xxxxxxx