[Harp-L] Reading vs. illiteracy

[rob.clark@xxxxxxxxxxx]

About 6 or 7 years ago I went through a phase where I was learning fiddle tunes from the Fiddler's Fakebook on harp.  As long as the tune didn't have accidentals, I read it in straight harp using the notes as if they were tab.  In other words, if a tune was in "D" and I was using a "D" harp - I would relate the written D to blow 4 or blow 7.  Then I would treat the notes above and below the written "D" as scale degrees to figure out where to go on the harp.  That way, when learning another tune that was in "G" and without accidentals - I would just shift my frame of reference so that blow 4 or blow 7 corresponded to the written G and then play accordingly using scale degrees.   These days, I pretty much think in terms of scale degrees and chord tones (root, third, fifth, etc. of the chord) when playing through a tune on the diatonic - especially for blues.

As noted in an earlier post, it gets a little messy if there are out of key notes (accidentals).  Sometimes by looking at a tune you get lucky - for example if a tune was written in "D" and it consistently had a natural C rather than a C sharp, then the tune is mixolydian and then you would play in cross harp, relating the written "D" to draw 2 or blow 6 and use the same method as above.  If you want to play a tune in cross harp there are a lot more missing notes that you'll have to hit with bends than if you read it in straight harp.

Generally I've found that I read tunes in straight harp, but play chord changes in cross-harp.  If your want to read tunes in cross harp, might consider getting some  Lee Osker melody maker harps.  

When reading for a chromatic harp - I will initially just play it as written using a "C" chromatic.  Once I get a better sense of the tune, I sometime shift to another keyed chromatic - but it is a real brain twister to switch chromatics and read at the same time.  I MUCH prefer reading tunes on the chromatic than on the diatonic because there aren't the problems with missing notes.  However, when switching to different keyed chromatics I treat it as described above for the diatonics - relate everything to the tonic note (blow 4/5 on a chromatic in "D" to the written "D") and then think in terms of scale degrees up and down from that note.

Rob


Rob