Re: [Harp-L] explaining Position Playing - FAIL

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

The short answer is different keys sound different on the same blues richter harmonica due to the shift in the draw-blow pattern. 


Amazing Grace sounds different in the three different keys and it plays differently.  


Not all songs can be played in several keys on the same harmonica without overblows or bent notes.


For example, Amazing Grace can be played (without bends) in the keys of C, G and F. If he cannot hear the difference, he may have to play the different versions to note the difference.  Key of C is mostly blow and F and G are mostly draw. (I pass out Amazing Grace to my Harmonica 101 class in the three keys to demonstrate this.)




(Amazing Grace uses the pentatonic scale: that is why it can be played in three keys without bends. The Bb in F and F# in G are not used. Only the "white notes" from the key of C are used in F and G.)


This is somewhat similar to playing Saints starting on hole 1 or hole 4. Both are in the same key but starting on hole 1 requires bent notes -- so it sounds different than the one starting on hole 4.


Hope this helps,
Phil





















-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-L list <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thu, May 1, 2014 9:26 am
Subject: [Harp-L] explaining Position Playing - FAIL


After 25 years of teaching harmonica, I am stumped.

With one current adult student, I have not been able to convey the concept
of a harmonica having more than one key capability, or why I would choose
one of those over another.

Robert Hale
Spiral Advocate (Fanatic!)
Learn Harmonica by Webcam
http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL
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