Re: [Harp-L] fiddle harp help... please

[Cara Cooke <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

 *"I listened to "Old Joe Clark" and have a couple of questions. When I 
grabbed my D harp to play it (Mixolydian A) to play along I think that I 
discovered that you must have been using a C harp since it seemed like you 
played in G. 
Am I hearing/not hearing things right?**"*
** 
Sorry, Dave. I should have remembered to mention that I did all of the cheap 
home recording clips on a C harmonica -- for the beginner who usually starts 
playing on a C harmonica. You weren't wrong.
 *"I usually play it down low on the harp, you played it way up at the top. 
Does that help you get heard, playing
in that octave?"*
 I have always found that the upper octaves fit my needs more -- less 
bending necessary and generally more responsive at faster speeds. However, I 
do play lower on the instrument if it suits my needs. Generally, you could 
say that the upper octave does set you out a little more in a jam/band 
situation since you are playing above the voices of the other instruments, 
which is very suitable when it is time for your break, but it does not 
automatically solve your volume problem (being heard). However, it takes 
work to control the higher instruments in the upper octaves and to also be 
able to play them in the upper octaves so that they blend with the other 
instruments when you are not taking a break. 
 *"I guess that that would be a good way for me to make friends with that 
end of the harp."*
** 
Sounds good to me. I am trying to make friends with the lower end of the 
harp in a similar fashion. Holes 1 and 2 hardly get much of a workout unless 
I am teaching a class or workshop. However, when it comes to presenting the 
harmonica in its best light with the bluegrassers, I will always try to keep 
my playing where I am most comfortable -- especially on fast tunes. It never 
hurts to know more about what you are doing, but there is no need to force 
the others to suffer the learning process unnecessarily. 
 *"...and the music in music notation, which I don't read."*
** 
Here is an idea for you with regards to working with notation. Knowing how 
to read music notation is a valuable skill. I highly recommend acquiring at 
least a rudimentary knowledge of it -- with a focus on key/time signature, 
notes, and timing. Some of the intro books will help you in that regard to 
build that skill. However, to help with transposing some of those fiddle 
tunes in notation to a workable harmonica tab, take a note from the notebook 
of a West Texas harmonica player with whom I have been working who is 
suffering through the same problems: collect the harmonica tab rulers at 
http://www.harmonicacountry.com/tabrulers/instructions.html. (The tab rulers 
are linked on the instruction page.) These rulers show the relationship 
between the notes on the staff and the hole on the harmonica with the 
correct key signature. There is more to learn, of course, but it is a start. 

 Cara