[Harp-L] Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 19, Issue 13

[thurgood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Bob -

Welcome aboard!  There are a number of people on here who can
tell you all about altered tunings; I imagine Steve Shaw and/
or Winslow Yerxa will have some solid info. for you in relation
to altered tunings and Celtic (sorry Steve!) tunes; Winslow
plays a lot of Scottish, I believe.  But before they get you
filing and tinkering, I'll just point out that many pipe tunes
can be played with standard diatonic tuning.  The trick is 
finding the right "position".  A tune in a conventional major
key can be played in "first position" ("straight"), usually; in
other words, an A major tune can be played on an A harp.  Of 
course, pipe tunes are usually not in conventional majors, so 
try "second position" ("cross") or "third position" (does
anyone other than me call this "slant"?)  Second position would
be using a D harp to play in A; third position is using a G harp
to play in A.  As examples, Devil in the Kitchen and Mr John
Stewart of Grantully can be played in second pos.  Bung Your Eye
can be played in third.  Crossing the Minch can be played in First.

There is a great clip of Donald Davidson playing The Inverness
Gathering in second pos. at http://www.mustrad.org.uk/articles/davidson.htm.
His discordant chording gives it a bit of an ethereal effect to
my ear, but it can be dispensed with and the tune can be played
in single notes.

You might want to give a listen to my own attempts at: 
www.cdbaby.com/cd/thurgood.

I mainly use a G harp, by the way, although I often use a low-F 
for pipe tunes, because much of the playing seems to be on the
high end of the instrument.  But G is good to start with.  I think
you'll find the C a little high-pitched.  If you're thinking of
playing with others, you'll want a low-D and, particularly for 
Scottish, an A, that being the Scottish fiddlers' key of choice.

- thurg

> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 2
> Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2005 16:03:36 GMT
> From: "ukc802776547" <ukc802776547@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] Help a learner
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Message-ID: <422b29d8.21b.11c8.2096@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> 
> Hi All, I'm a piper just starting to learn harp. I had
> thought I could just start playing my pipe tunes on harp
> with little difficulty, I could not be more wrong. I had
> thought today of re tuning a cheep (remember I'm Scottish)
> harp to the pipe chanter scale, then it dawned, unlike pipes
> a harmonica can play more than one note at a time, I dread
> to think what that would have sounded like. I have 2 harps
> both Lee Oskar, as advised by the music store. One in C to
> go with the instruction book, and one in G because I thought
> it would be closest to folk music (I want advice on this) or
> Scottish music.
> 
> I am at a stage of playing a nice steady scale, and when the
> saints go marching in, from memory, so you can guess my
> status is raw beginner. I have played the Great Highland
> bagpipe for 20 years and know loads of tunes, so have a
> little music in me.
> 
> I love Scottish music by R Burns etc and all Scottish folk
> music, I'm looking for a source of sheet music with TAB if
> possible, and advice on converting my thousands of pipe
> tunes to be played on harmonica. What key should I be
> playing etc etc.
> 
> I know this is a big ask, but any advice to set me down the
> road is gratefull accepted.
> 
> All the Best, Bob  
>