[Harp-L] Which key?

["geoff atkins" <geoffatkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

John said " But if you have a set of harps, you really SHOULD be able to
find the key, simply by checking different harmonicas, and seeing if "IT
WORKS"...Of course, it is better if you are told the key in the first
place!...........

I play quite often with a guitarist who uses MP3s and midi files and has not
had much formal training. Asking the key will be met with 26 options, of
which I've learned to reject everything after H, and suspect the rest.

The benefit is that gradually my ear has learned to pick the key about 75%
of the time, but the downside is having to wait for a bar or so of the intro
to determine the harp choice.
Worst are the guitarists at jams who don't tell you the key, but "which harp
you should use" usually presuming second position.

My worst case "search order" Is CDAG Eb Db, usually by which time I've
picked up a clue for the correct harp.
What throws me is a key change within the song structure, and if I know the
piece, have tw harps ready. Otherwise the "search" takes too long.

Has anyone a good search plan?

Geoff Atkins