Re: [Harp-L] How to tell the key of any song or music

[mik jagger <harpomatic@xxxxxxxxx>]

It helps to know how guitar and keyboard chord shapes/fingerings look like, and visually check what guitar/keyboard player is doing.  Watch the "bassiest" note the keyboard player uses when you're "at home"... Watch your bass player. In time, you'll develop a feel for few most common keys that are most often used, also some basic playing in various keys on the same harp will help you not to wreck the groove, as you search for a root note on any harp you pulled out. "hum" a bar or two to yourself, regardless of a key, intuitively, as if to lead yourself into playing, right before you play the first note on harmonica. Also, if you use a familiar keyed harp, like "C" is for me, for example, chances are you will gracefully find a root note one way or another. If you really do not find it, that points to a key also(those few missing notes are easily available by bending). Do this "figuring out" with taste, easy touch, and you should be able to figure it out
 within a bar, or two.