Re: [Harp-L] harmonica in B - and sight transposing

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Vern's formula is a handy way to systematize a way of deducing the end result, e.g., if you take a B harmonica and play it as if you were playing a C harmonica, and read a piece written in Eb, it will actually come out in D.

What is harder is to take that B harmonica, see music written in Eb, and make it actually come out in Eb. You have to see Eb on the page and transpose it in your head to E. Circumstances do not always allow the luxury of writing out a new transposition.

This is where having a good knowledge of playing in all 12 keys comes in handy. You see Eb on the page and know both Eb and E well enough that you can translate one into the other. The way I've internalized through the common medium of scale degrees - if the notes Eb - G Bb in Eb are the scale degrees 1-3-5, then 1-3-5 in E will be E-G#-B. If you do enough of this (and I'm not claiming that I have), you no longer need to puzzle out the relationships.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

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

--- On Wed, 12/2/09, Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx> wrote:

On Dec 1, 2009, at 3:32 PM, joe leone wrote:

> Hmmm, lets' see. Playing a harmonica tuned to ONE key (and not C), but playing it in ANOTHER key, and winding up in a THIRD key.

A simple formula reveals all:
You always read/play the sheet music as though you are playing a C instrument.  
Let sharps # be + and flats be -.
Then the concert key signature is the sum of the key signature of the sheet music that you read and the key of the harp.

Examples:
B harp (+ 5#) plus Eb sheet music (-3b) = concert key of D (2#),
G harp (+1#) plus G sheet music (+1#)  = concert key of D (2#)
Horn in F (-1b) plus A sheet music (+3#) = concert key of D(2#)
Clarinet in Bb (-2b) plus E sheet music (+4#) = concert key of D (2#)
Neat, huh?
You can figure them in your head.

Vern