[Harp-L] The advantages of BD harmonica notation

[Tony Eyers <tony@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

When I wrote my online Harmonica Course I needed a harmonica notation or 
tab. I looked at various tabs, using +, -, arrows, bent arrows etc. They 
confused me. I wanted a notation which could be written with a keyboard 
and was unambiguous. The result was Blow Draw or BD notation.

It works like this. B indicates blow note, D indicates draw note. So 4B 
means blow into hole 4, 4D means draw or breathe in hole 4. And so on. 
In BD notation the major scale starting on the 4 hole blow is

4B 4D 5B 5D 6B 6D 7D 7B

Simple enough. Bends are indicated with apostrophes. A half tone bend is 
', a full tone bend is ", a tone and a half bend is "'.

Using this bending notation, the four notes available from the 3 hole 
draw are 3D, 3D', 3D", 3D"'

Chords are indicated with brackets. So, a 1 hole and 2 hole draw chord 
is (1D 2D), a 1 hole blow 4 hole blow octave is written (1B 4B)

That's it. This notation has become widely known in China through my 
Harmonica University online course, it is also used by my Harmonica 
Academy students when discussing problem (and triumphs) in our forum. It 
doesn't show overblows, a drawback for some. However, for most players 
it is sufficient.

I'm not sure if I invented the BD notation, I don't really care. It is a 
simple and clear way to indicate harmonica notes with a keyboard, 
without having to remember +, - or figuring out arrows.

Tony Eyers
Australia
www.HarmonicaAcademy.com
...everyone plays