Re: [Harp-L] Re:Help!

["Abner Galdos" <cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was in your shoes about a month ago.  or was it two weeks ago....And I got a massive about of ideas from the guys but it all dealt with the "Circle of Fifth".. Thank you all for the help, I had to do a lot of cutting and pasting....
If you can do a search on Harp L and look for the "Circle of Fifths" it really does become easy to understand.

since we are both newbie's I will try to relate to you what I know.
lets say the Band (in my case, guitarist) is playing a song in "C" now if your playing in first position ( using mainly blow notes) then the Harp would be in the key of "C"... That goes with any song in First Position.

If the song is in "C" and your playing in 2nd position ( mostly draw notes) then you would need the Harp in the Key of "F".
After that you have 3rd all the way to ( I believe) 12th position.... 

So here is my Cheat sheet, but learn the "Circle of Fifths" if you really want to learn.  Buy a good book that comes  with a cd or DVD.
Listen to the music you want to learn over and over and over and over again,,, did I mention over and over..
Learn single notes and chords. play with them, enjoy them.
Do not go the easy route and just wing it and improvise, that comes when you jam.

Record, record and record... I recorded myself playing to Stormy Monday one way... I got some advise and I recorded it again a different way...But in order to do this you have to understand the Harp and what you can do with it... and trust me when I fist started Taps was hard...and keep on adding and changing and improving.


I the music is in the key of :
A    you would use the harp in a key of D
Bb                                                          Eb
B                                                            E
C                                                            F
C#                                                          F#
D                                                            G
Eb                                                          Ab
E                                                            A
F#                                                          B
G                                                           C
Ab                                                          Db

#  equals Sharp
b  equals flat

you do have harp keys in minor's some brands like Lee Oskar sells them...

Jim my last words on this is Please pick up a starter book ( like "Harmonica for Dummies") and look up stuff on You Tube. 
Search Jason Ricci for starters.. he is a very talented musician and can teach.
Buy the songs you will be playing in both the original (with harmonica) and back track (with out the harmonica).  Guitarbacktracking.com Also from a member of Harp L
I have a buddies who is a very good guitarist and he comes over on Sundays and we practice for hours.  The problem is he does not now the harmonica.... 
He is a very talented musician and a very smart guy, BUT the harmonica confuses him to hell.
Now I have been lucky that thru Harp L I found a very good harmonica player by the name of Richard Perkins and he has shown me a lot of stuff... He know attends my open mic and I can learn by watching and then asking questions....
I also have an email buddy on Harp L that I wont mention his name, but I bust him with tons of dumb questions and send him sample's of my playing... G is a great guy,,, and E is a great gal who helped me along in the beginning if it were not for her supper support and my Freedom of speech I would have left Harp L a long time ago and would have never meet Richard or G... Thank you E for your grand support... I am so glad that all my life I had treated all women with the greatest of respect.

Good luck Jim, I'm here for you.

abner (Blueyes, Soon to be back to work)
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lyalljames@xxxxxxx 
  To: cdgaldos@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; gbuxman@xxxxxxxxx ; drfertig@xxxxxxxxx ; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 9:23 AM
  Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re:Help!


  Dear list   Thanks for all the great beginning performance advice.  You are all very generous.  I know this is a stupid question but I'm not really a musician.  If the band is playing in a certain key what harp key do I play in?    So if the guitar is playing in C what key harp do I use.  I know people talk about the "circle of fifths"  but is there a simple chart  like  Band=C then harp is  ?.  Thanks for all the encouragement!  Jim Lyall N. Canton ,Ohio


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