Re: [Harp-L] harmonica in B - reversing the slide

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Creating a flat-slide chromatic (reversing the slide so that the note goes down instead of up when you press it in)  with a B chromatic does have the advantage of allowing you to read in C insofar as all the slide-out notes are the same as on a C harmonica.

However, the advantage, at least for me, ends right there. I've developed the intuitive reliance on the pitch going up when the slide goes in. From this develops all sorts of scale patterns that are also ingrained. Reversing the slide means that those patterns are now played differently: out=in and in=out.

Everyone is different, personally I'd rather leave the slide in place and take my lumps with mentally transposing.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa

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

--- On Fri, 12/4/09, Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx> wrote:

From: Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] harmonica in B
To: "Harp-L Harp L" <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Friday, December 4, 2009, 10:24 AM


If I had a chromatic in B, I would experiment by turning the slide over.

This would result in a harmonica in C
Pushing the button would result in flatting the note played.
To play a sharp would require playing the next note up the 
C diatonic scale and pushing the button,

It seems to me that it would be fairly intuitive in the flat keys (F, Bb, Eb, Ab)

This is the mirror image of a conventional harmonica in C.  Playing in the sharp keys would be much like the flat keys on a conventional C harp.

OK...OK....Put that needle away...I'll go quietly.

Vern

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