[Harp-L] the process of switching keys using Bach as an example

[Marc Molino <mmolino54@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

This is a somewhat convoluted question so please bear with me...

Almost a year ago, I came across an example of a Buddy Greene clip (which has been shared on this list more than once) playing Carnegie Hall:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfLhnkme2mE

The first full song he plays is a very beautiful version of Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring". I came across some simple sheet music for this song here: http://www.8notes.com/school/scores/piano/bach_jesu_bleibet.gif

Originally, I tried to play the first part in the key it was written (G) on a C harp (second position, if I'm not mistaken, though I bumped it up an octave to avoid too many bends) and what I got was this:
+6  -6 -7 -8 +7  +7 +8  -8  -8  +9  +9’ +9  
-8  -7 +6 -6 -7  +7 -8  +8  -8  +7  -7  -6 -7 +6 
+5o +6 -6 -4 +5o -6 +7  -7  -6  -7  +6  -6 -7 -8  
+7  +7 +8 -8 -8  +9 +9’ +9  -8  -7  +6  -6 -7 +5

Which would have been great except I can't play overblows (yet!). Knock it down an octave and the 5 overblow is still required so I was at a loss. Many months later (after not being scared of using harmonicas not in the key of C and understanding written music and harmonic keys a little better), I realized I could play the sheet music notes in first position on a harmonica in the key of G, which ends up being:
+4 -4 +5 +6 -5 -5 -6 +6 +6 +7 -7 +7
+6 +5 +4 -4 +5 -5 +6 -6 +6 -5 +5 -4 +5 +4 -3
+4 -4 -2 -3 -4 -5 +5 -4 +5 +4 -4 +5 +6 -5 -5 -6
+6 +6 +7 -7 +7 +6 +5 +4 -4 +5 -3'' +6 -5 +5 -4 +4 -2 +4 -3 +4 

My question is how do people who actually know how to play the harmonica usually think through this process of switching keys? In my case (someone who didn't even realize the song was in the key of G at first and who only had a C harmonica at the time), I used the layout of a G harmonica (on display at overblow.com courtesy of the "scale-finder") to figure out first position. In essence, the G harmonica transposed the music to first position for me and the second example above is now in the key of C when played on a C harmonica (please correct me if I'm wrong about that). Are the pros out there so fluid with positions that they can easily jump from one position to the next? Are you thinking/hearing in intervals? Do you have every note on every key of harmonica memorized (this question probably reveals that I haven't quite internalized the circle of fifths and the way the keys are related to one another)? Am I just ignoring the beauty of having harmonicas in different keys (e.g., wanna play it in A, pick up an A harmonica and play the first position version above)? I realize this process is probably different for every player, so I thought it might be instructive to hear how this process works.

Thanks in advance for your patience and insight,
Marc



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