Re: [Harp-L] Diatonic v Chromatic

["Leonardo K. Shikida" <shikida@xxxxxxxxx>]

That's why Mauricio Einhorn has a 12 chromatic set :-) why transpose?

best regards

Leo

[]

Leo


On Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 8:32 AM, Aongus MacCana <amaccana@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I know about as much about music (and harmonicas/mouthorgans for that
> matter) as a dog knows about a wireless.
>
> However at my advanced age I am picking up knowledge on a need to know
> basis. This is proving quite interesting and even entertaining. In fact I
> have been told that it may be an antidote to senile dementia.
>
> For this reason I have copied Winslow's latest erudite posting on the above
> topic to a Word document which I shall study at my leisure.
>
> When I purchased my first chromatic harmonica in the key of C sixty odd
> years ago I was led to believe by the "authorities" of the time that I now
> had a device on which I could play any tune in any key and that I would
> never need buy anything different or any better. This was and is indeed
> (theoretically!) true. Alas when I got into it I found that there were a
> few
> snags.
>
> The first was that -quite unconsciously - I transcribed every tune I tried
> to play into first position or the key of C. In some trickier tunes like
> when I was trying to copy Larry Adler I found that there were sometimes
> "rogue" notes hiding which could only be accessed by use of the slide. I
> also found that some tunes did not sound great or quite right when played
> in
> C.
>
> A break through occurred when I discovered that chromatics could be bought
> in any key and that a G chromatic in particular opened up the possibility -
> even to a first position junkie, of accessing a treasure trove of Irish
> traditional tunes in the keys of G and D.
>
> I can scarcely wait to get my hands on one of these new Seydel 'Samplers'
> which will give me first position G or D at the touch of a button.
>
> Beannachtai
>
> Aongus Mac Cana
>
>