RE: [Harp-L] B- Bb, Dm queston

["Bill Hines" <billhines4@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'll let the music theorists expain that one to you, but it's related to
that. If I try to explain it, I'll screw it up.

BUT - I do know about "the key of B never seems to be needed" (which you
would need an E harp for if you are playing second position blues). I
was at my first *really* big jam, the Rum Boogie Jam on Beale St in
Memphis during the International Blues Competition weekend in January
(no, I was not in the competition, unworthy thus far). Bob Margolin,
Willy Big Eyes Smith, all the big dogs were in the house (drinking beer,
not playing by the time I got up). All was going well, until about the
2nd or 3rd song. Singer calls for a song in 'B'. I said the same thing -
I *never* got asked to play in B before! And my B harp was with the
'second tier' stuff in my case, out of reach since the stage was packed
and there was no room. How embarrassing. I actually tried a few other
things, positions on other harps, very low in the mix, I thought nobody
could hear, until I could 'get it right', untilI noticed the bass player
glaring at me and he said "IT'S IN B" not very nicely. So I sat that one
out by just standing there and grooving, which sucked.

Bill Hines
Hershey, PA

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of EVedock
Sent: Thursday, April 03, 2008 2:52 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] B- Bb, Dm queston


Why do Dm songs use a Bb harmonica? Why not a B harmonica.  In all my
years of playing I do not own a B harmonica as the key of B never seems
to be needed.  Ed