Re: [Harp-L] Middle C

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

The real Middle C is Hole 1.

But Hole 4 is often written as Middle C. In some books Middle C seems
to move back and forth between the two.

Why?

Because it's more convenient for the writer and easier on the reader to
write one or the other in different situations.

Let's say you're writing a passage that is all first-position melody.
It starts on Blow 4 and goes up to, say, E in Hole 8. If you write that
at actual pitch, you'll start on the third space of the staff (C)and go
up into three leger lines above the staff (E). If you're writing for
beginners (or even intermediate players), you may scare them away with
all those leger lines (yes, that is the correct spelling of "leger" - a
"ledger" is something you use for bookkeeping).

But let's say you're writing out something that spends time in the
bottom octave. If you write Blow 4 as middle C, Hole 1 will be four
leger lines and a space BELOW the staff. Again, hard to read. So that
gets written at actual pitch.

Winslow

--- MARVIN Fleischman <m0flei01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I am a little confused as to the note layout of a regular C diatonic?
> Which blow hole corresponds to middle C, 1 or 4?
> 
> Thanks,
> Marvin Fleischman
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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