[Harp-L] how many harps do you need to be able to play in all 12 keys?

["Jim Rumbaugh" <jrumbaug@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This was my brain exercise of the week.

The Question: If you are playing Major Pentatonic scales in 1st, 2nd and 12th position, how many diatonic harps do you need to be able to play in all 12 keys and what are the combination of harps needed?

Ok, I obsess at times. Last night I wondered, how many combinations of harps could give you all keys? The answer: 3 

You need four harps and the four harps must be 3 half step apart, so after 3 combinations, you are repeating the first. Here are the 3 combinations

1) All keys with A...C.Ed.F#

12th position D...F...Ad.B.
straight harp A...C.Ed.F#..
cross harp... E.G...Bd.C#..



2) 1) All keys with Bd...C#.E.G

12th position Eb...F#..A.C.
straight harp Bd...C#..E..G
cross harp.. F.G#...B.D..

3) 2) 1) All keys with B...D.F.G#

12th position E...G..Bd..C#.
straight harp B..D.F.G#
cross harp. F#...A...C.Ed..

So if you want to play ALL KEYS, you need to have at least one of those odd ball key harps in your bag, but you do not "have to" have all the lesser used key harps,



Jim Rumbaugh