Re: [Harp-L] Sax and Harmonica

[Vern <jevern@xxxxxxx>]

Here is a simple, easily-remembered rule for all such questions about transposing instruments:

Concert key (the one you hear) is found by combining the sharps and flats of the sheet-music's  key signature with  those of the instrument. Sharps cancel flats and vice versa.

In your example:

     The Bb clarinet has 2 flats
     The sheet music in G has 1 sharp.
     The combination is one flat or the key of F, the concert key
     That is, when the Bb clarinet plays the G sheet music you will hear F

So...if the student plays "by ear" in first position, he should use an F harp.

Another example:
I have a classical piece with concert pitch in D that has notes as low as A3 which do not appear on a 12-hole C chromatic.  I transposed the sheet music to G and read/play it on a G chromatic.

Key of the harp is G or 1 sharp
Key of the sheet music is G or 1 sharp.
The combination is two sharps for a concert key of D.

Just like magic!   ;o)

Vern

On Mar 8, 2012, at 9:04 PM, Robert Hale wrote:

> Thanks, All!
> 
> QUIZ
> My harp student brings me her boyfriend's sax music for DannyBoy, marked Bb
> Clarinet, with a G key signature, one sharp.
> 
> What harp does my student need to play along in 1P?
> 
> Robert Hale
> Learn Harmonica by Webcam
> Low Rates, High Success
> http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL <http://www.youtube.com/user/DUKEofWAIL>
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