RE: adjusting the notes of a song

["Stephen Shaw" <moorcot@xxxxxxx>]

>From: Tony Costine <acostine@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>Reply-To: Tony Costine <acostine@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: adjusting the notes of a song
>Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2003 20:28:07 -0500
>
>
>Hi, new to the group (hi group!). Was playing along with some of the tab on
>Harmonicacountry.com and found myself being bothered by the high notes 
>used.
>Read where you can convert straight harp to cross harp tunes by subbing
>notes.
>Tried to create a version of Danny Boy (that well known blues classic!) in
>cross--a version I could play that didn't use the 7 8 and 9 hole...but am
>having no luck.
>Is trying to convert songs like this a fools errand, or is it possible and 
>I
>just don't know enough yet to do it (certainly probable!)?
>Any help would be great,
>TIA,
>--Tony

Hi Tony and welcome to Harp-L!

I've been trying to work out why don't you want to use the 7, 8 and 9 holes. 
  When I read your post I tried Danny Boy as I usually play it - on a G 
harp, straight harp=1st position, and I think your problem could be that the 
range of notes in the tune is too wide for the standard-tuned 10-hole harp 
unless you resort to the not-very-satisfactory solution of switching octaves 
in different parts of the tune.  My harp is retuned in the lowest octave to 
put back the missing 6th note of the scale, which completely solves this 
problem for this tune (and many of the Irish tunes I play).  This is called 
the Paddy Richter tuning.   I explain this on my website.  Whether this 
could possibly be an answer for you would entirely depend on the type(s) of 
music you want to play!

All the best

Steve Shaw

Want more than the blues?  Try Irish!
http://mysite.freeserve.com/trad_irish_harmonica

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