Re: Song Keys; What's this Harp?

[Bill Long <LONGWJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Sat, 08 Jul 1995 15:37:52 -0700 (PDT)
>From: Mike Curtis <wd6ehr@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: RE: Song Keys; What's this Harp?

>> of harps until I played blues in the key of E, on an A harp (crossharp), and
>> then a G (4th position), C (5th), and D (3rd) as well.
> 
>Actually, with an A harp, 4th position would be F# (relative minor), 5th
>position C# (3rd), and 6th position Eb (major 7th.) The keys of G, C, and D
>would be 11th, 10th, and 12th respectively.  The first 2 (G and C) lack
>tonic notes in the A major scale.

Maybe I should have been clearer...for Mike's sake:

The KEY of E is played in 2nd position (crossharp) on an A harp.
    ~~~~~~~~
the KEY of E is played in 3rd position on a D harp.
    ~~~~~~~~
the KEY of E is played in 4th position on a G harp.
    ~~~~~~~~
the KEY of E is played in 5th position on a C harp.
    ~~~~~~~~
and I'm fully aware that postions 7 thru 11 are exotic, in the respect that 
their tonic notes don't actually exist on a diatonic harp and have to be 
produced by either bends or overblows...and therefore have no related mode 
in diatonic theory, which I have mentioned on this list before.  I 
personally feel that these are not "true" positions, although Howard Levy's 
virtuosity forces me to concede that they "truly" exist.  Before I joined 
this list I was unaware that there were designated "positions" on a harp...
I just referred to it as "playing in E on an A" or just "in V of A".  But 
hey, I'm willing to accept standards in the interest of being able to 
facilitate communication among harpers.

In the example I was trying to show how I impressed on that particular 
guitar player that we're not stuck only playing crossharp but that, in fact,
reasonable blues in the key of E could be played on a C, D, or G harp as well. 

get it?

Bill Long >-- StarGazer --< N2LAG	longwj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
    longwj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx			   (137.142.18.1)