Re: Key Q's

[bhollan@xxxxxxx]

>> ... My question is I have just started
>> to play (teach myself) and I am having some difficulty in picking
>> the right song keys. I play in cross-harp and I have an A, Bb, and C
>> harp. If any one knows what key some songs are in it would be a big 
>> help....
>
>I think that for those of us beginners out there this is probably
>the most needed resource for learning the Harp....
>I feel that a list of songs, artists and keys would be useful to all 
>those amongst us who are new to this. I have often found that none of 
>my harps seem to fit a song and been frustrated in my attempts to 
>find the key.

     Not to pick an argument with fellow newbies, but I found the best resource
for learning the harp was the radio.  Find a station you can tolerate and play
along.  Once you've found the key of the tune, find the most appropriate
position on the right harp.  If you can't find it, lay out -- another tune will
follow the commercials :-) .  This is awkward & frustrating, but you can really
learn your positions that way; and you learn to think through new tunes while
they're happening, rather than working off a "set list" which tells you which
harp to grab.  My first kit included harps in A, B flat, C, D, E, F and G,
which seemed to be enough for most Midwestern FM stations.

>P.S. Overblow practise, while rewarding and fun does tend to drive 
>every living creature in a 50 meter radius away. Is this normal? :-)

     Sadly, it seems to be normal.  It does seem to get more socially
acceptable once the overblown notes come easily and you can start making music
with them.

     Bill Hollan
     bhollan@xxxxxxx