[Harp-L] Questions on Bending/OB/OD and Scales/Music/TAB

[Sébastien Frémal]

Hi !!

I read the comment of M. Yerxa. It's a really personal matter of course,
nobody has the 'right' answer. I'm studying jazz with the harmonica. With
this kind of music, everything can happen : several keys in a same song,
chords totally out of the scale harmony...

When I began harmonica, I was as M. Yerxa, I was like "I don't want to need
specific parts if I play with a D harp instead of a C harp", I wanted to be
able to transpose while reading the music. That means, knowing exactly
where each note is on the 12 instruments. When reading music, you can't
think, it must be a reflex. If you think, it will slightly delay the note
and you will miss the right time.

So, it's totally achievable, but it asks a LOOOOOOOT of time ha ha. My
teacher, a conservatory graduated, advised me to use transposed charts and
study themes instead of spending my time learning harmonica note charts. It
was, for my own road, the best advice I was given to. As you can easily
find transposable jazz parts on the internet, it made me gain a lot of time
to read parts but also chord grids. But everyone has a different road and
what's best for one person is not necessarily the best for everyone.

"If the music is written in the key of C (for example), then I play 2nd
position, key of G on my C harmonica."

Usually, if the key signature is C, the song will be in C and if you want
to play crossharp, you will need a F harp.

Sébastien