Re: [Harp-L] harmonica in B



I do this for fiddle tunes in keys like D (plays like Eb), A (plays like Bb) G (plays like Ab) and even A (plays like F). 

Irish accordionists figured this out decades ago. They play a push-pull button accordion with one row of buttons tuned to B major and the other to C major. So they have a lot of smooth same-direction note sequences in the common keys of D, A, and G. But more recently players like Jackie Daly have gone to a C#-D box, because they LIKE the punchy sound they get when changing bellows direction.

If anyone thinks this is cheating, look up the history of some of the instruments in the orchestra. Clarinets used to come standard not only in  Bb but in A as well, so that fingering would not be impossible in sharp keys. And trumpets and French horns used to be diatonic - you changed the key by inserting a crook - a length of curly tubing - between the mouthpiece and the body of the horn. Imagine having to change keys that way in the middle of a performance.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5

--- On Tue, 12/1/09, Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] harmonica in B
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Tuesday, December 1, 2009, 11:12 AM

I have always had a couple of sets of plates that I tuned down a half step to B with silver solder on the end of each reed.  Royal pain!!!!!

This allows me to play in Flat keys in order to take advantage of the blow F and Draw C and therefore I can play most all trills and turns.  I use this for the Bach B Minor Suite and the B Minor Flute Sonata plaing them both in C Minor with a B harmonica so they sound in B Minor.  The Thais Meditation I perform in Eb with a B harmonica thus keeping the orchestra in D Major.  Better than transposing all the string parts at any rate.

harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com
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