Re: Rock and Roll and different keys


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Posted by Catfish on April 16, 2002 at 19:13:55:

In Reply to: Rock and Roll and different keys posted by Robin Adams aka Keith Relf on April 16, 2002 at 17:24:19:

hey robin,
you definitely came to the right place to learn. this site is loaded with information. take a while to explore. then try it out starting at the beginning--usually a good place to start. after you pick up the true basics, remember that the best way to learn is just to start wailing and see what happens. beyond that just accept my reassurance that it isnāt just you; it is indeed a lot harder that it looks. keep with it and you will get it sooner than later.

in a more specific response to your choice of harps, they arenāt a bad start. 2+ points in particular:

1a) if you like, you can go out and buy a C harp. it isnāt necessary, though. the reason a C harp is often recommended for beginners is that it is a very middle ground harp; really low or really high harps donāt offer the same ease in playability. you will notice that your A is somewhat low pitched, while your E seems extremely high. stick to learning on your A because that will be easier.

1b) one minor drawback to not having a C is that example sound files from this site will be in a different pitch from your harp. if you can deal with that though, all the licks you learn are transferable to any other key harp.

2) keep in mind that for a bluesy sound, it is often best to play in second position as opposed to 1st (search this site for how to do this). second position is often called cross harp because by emphasizing draw notes as opposed to blow notes, in simple music theory, the key you end up playing in is the V of the harp's key. for example, take your A harp, count five notes (A, B, C, D, E), and you end up with E being the key you play in. your E harp, if playing cross, will be good for accompanying your band if they are playing in B. (in summary, to accompany your band in E and A, you will want an A and D harp, respectively)

so i guess i just thoroughly confused you. as i implied at the beginning, by wandering through this site you will find much better instruction than i can possibly give you.

best of luck. keep blowing your horn.
Catfish



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