[Harp-L] Demistifying Chromatics

["G. E. Popenoe" <gpopenoe@xxxxxxxxx>]

As an architect, I always think in patterns and underlying structures. I
wish I had Winslow's music theory knowledge to back this post up but
here goes. (Winslow/Joe, bust me if I take this off track.) Note that I'm
testing this logic/approach on you Harp-L members to see how well it works
since I occassionally find my self teaching or coaching from time to time.

Here goes!

Since the chromatic wants to have four notes per hole, it demands that it be
set up symetrically. The instrument is basically set up like a piano with a
couple of exceptions. Now, the last time you looked at a piano keyboard, you
may have noticed that there ain't a black key for every white key. The piano
key pattern is not symetrical within the octave. There is this 2, 3, 2,
3 pattern of the black keys. What to do?

As many of us know, the designers of the chromatic harp simply added extra
or duplicate notes to fill the voids. Sooo, you get an extra F and two exta
C's.

Sounds like it would complicate things but actually, it is cool, 'cause you
get extra fingerings that can come in mighty handy to smooth out some tricky
spots. For now, the best thing to do is forget about that. They will come to
your aid when needed.

If you were to translate the chromatic harp into a piano form, your new
piano would have a black key for every white key. On top of that, rather
than structured in octaves from C to C to C,  your new piano would be
structured in octaves from C to C, C to C, C to C and so forth. Maybe the
examples below will help. If they confuse, I'll come up with a better
diagram and load it on my site.

Piano octave layout        C-------C-------C-------C-------C

Chromatic harp octave layout C ---------CC--------CC----------CC--------C

DON'T PANIC! There is a bonus about this setup that simplifys things as
follows:

Because of this setup, the sharp and flat keys are the exact opposite
fingerings of the natural keys. In other words, when the button or slide is
"in" on a natural key, it is "out" on the complimentary flat/sharp keys.

Simplest example:

Want to play C Major on a C chromatic? Start on the one hole and play the
classic pattern: Blow, Draw, Blow, Draw, Blow, *Draw, Draw*, Blow.
Want to play C# Major? Just push the button in and hold it. Then play the
same pattern.

Another example:

Want to play D Major on the C chromatic? Start "draw" on the one hole and
play: Draw, Blow, Draw (button in), Blow, *Draw, Draw*, Blow (button in),
Draw
Want to play D# / Eb Major? Play the same exact blow draw pattern except,
this time, reverse the button pattern from above. (Hold it in all the time
and let it *out *only in the locations indicated "button in" in the D Major
example.)

In a sense, all you have to learn and remember are the fingerings for the
major keys. Rehearse reversing those patterns and you will then have all of
the sharp and flat scales mastered.

Patterns, patterns, patterns. Learn them in bite size chunks. As you can see
from above, you can practice two at time.

A reminder:  In the examples above, I typed the two side by side "draws" (A
and B in the C scale) in italics. As I mentioned in a previous post,
these are handy landmarks. The C Major pattern and the D Major pattern
indicated above are the same exact blow draw pattern. The only difference is
that you start on the one draw for D instead of the one blow. The two "*
draws*" and how they are located within the scale pattern help you know what
key you are in and where you are on the instrument.  They are always there.
Note, however, you may use a slide on one or both of them depending on the
key.

Don't let this extra bit of info trip you up. If you simply practice the
scales, the landmarks and extra notes described in this post will come into
play as your knowledge and skills grow.

Now I'm going to go back to practicing my diatonic overblows. They are
coming slowly but surely.