I want to practice my harp with songs on some of my CD's but I don't know what key there in. I'm looking for some good websites to go to and search, say Johnny Cash - Folsom Prison. Then get the root key. Once I have that, I can practice cross harp with the CD's. I have found straight harp tabs but most say to use any key. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Pretty sure "Folsom" is in F; one of those songs that for most people would require 2 pos harmonica playing, which, aargh, mean you have to invest in a Bb harp. As for websites: maybe a good idea to just Google the song title "+ chords" and i believe mostly you´ll end up on a page that starts out with the original key. "Ultimate guitar" appear to work that way. Obviously you´re a beginner and finding the key kan be a bit of a toughie -- but it´s good practice: roughly, just look for the note that seems to sound good most of the time when you´re playing the song. Another way. just ask here.
I would recommend just practicing finding the "root key" by trial and error. Since you want to play cross harp, try using the 2 draw or 3 blow at the beginning of each verse to see if one fits the song. Those holes are the tonic in crossharp.
This is good practice for future times when you need to figure out a key without a reference. It will help train your ear. Working out melodies without backing music also trains your ear.
Obviously some song keys won't be available on those 5 harps in 2nd position. Those harps by circle of 5ths are F, C, G, D, and A and in 2nd position cover the keys C, G, D, A, and E).
You have the popular keys of harps for guitar based songs. Horn centric songs tend to use the flatted keys (F,Bb, Eb, Ab, Gb)which your harps cannot play in crossharp. But rather than look them up, I suggest just working at it to figure it out.
Edit: I have heard Cash do Folsom in different keys on Youtube. If it is in F on your CD, then you need a Bb as Martin said. ----------
I most always use an "A" harp 2nd pos.for Folsom Prison. I may a little backward for finding the correct harp in 2nd. I sound the 4 draw, but you need to know your playing at pitch. ---------- And I Thank You !! KCz Backwoodz Bluz
Put on the song you want to play to – pick up a harp and play the 2 draw…since your new at this let a chorus or 2 go by while playing the 2 draw while listening very carefully if that note on the 2 draw is complimenting the song in away that sounds harmonious to your ears.
If the answer is no – try the next harp…If none of them passes that test then play the next song and do the same exercise again. If this time the 2 draw strongly compliments the song, you can play to the song knowing that the 2 draw is your (home 2nd position note) Eventually the more you do this - figuring the key will become second nature and accomplished very quickly
Websites and other references can be wrong, or they can referring to a different version than what you have. It's much better in the long run for you to learn to figure out the key for yourself.
There used to be a plug-in for Windows Media Player called Muse-On (I think that was it's name.) It's not supported by newer versions but you can run in on older versions of WMA. Most of the software for finding keys seems to be for DJ's. They mix tracks and they need the keys for that, so there is DJ software that does it. When you have a ton of songs you want to play it can be a pain to find the keys all by ear. It's good practice, so you should do it sometimes, but if you have a long list of songs you may want to cheat on some. Once you do, go into the metadata on the song (the information like title, length etc.) If you select options there is a field for key that you can edit. It's almost always blank by default, but you can add it right in media player. Once you do you can use it as a sorting option, so for instance, if you just want to practice songs in C you can auto-sort by key and it will make a playlist for you. To keep from confusing myself I usually write Major keys in Caps and minor keys in lower case, and write C/G, for instance so I know the song key is G but I want to grab my C harp. (If I just write G I scratch my head and wonder if I meant the song key or the harp key!) ---------- Nate Facebook Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
While running the BT on my laptop, I open a virtual piano software, and play a slow C scale on the keyboard. You find the matching note within 10 seconds, sometimes less. You could do the same with a C chromatic.
There is no guarantee that the guy who just decided to do Folsom Prison at the jam sings it in the same key as Johnny Cash did. You need to learn to identify the key of the actual music being played - with no other aids but the harp you already have with you.
I learned this from master teacher David Barrett. He calls it "using your C harmonica as a pitch pipe." It is all I do now and with some practice I can determine the key of any tune within seconds while on stage.
You need to memorize the note names on the 1st 4 holes of your C harp. The blow holes are C E G C. The draw holes are D G B D. MEMORIZE THIS. That's half the battle. Note that all the other notes are there with bends - but you know if you bend the 3 hole down 1/2 step you're getting a Bb, if you bend it down a whole step you're getting an A... so you don't really need to memorize that.
OK - once you have that memorized you're ready to use the technique. The KEY is being able to HEAR the root note of the tune that is playing - and compare it to notes you can get on your harp. I used to hum it until I was sure I had it right. OK, got that note? Now find it on your C harp, holes 1-4. Done.
I have gotten to the point where I don't even have to find the note - I can HEAR that, say, the root note I'm hearing is 1/2 step lower than 2 blow. Bingo - must be Eb.
Again - it takes some practice to use it easily but you can do it. You don't have to ask anyone, find a piano, read the guitar player's position, etc.
I just did a quick check and Johnny Cash does Folsom Prison Blues in the key of F# (on both the studio recording, and the live at Folsom recording). So unfortunately you're kind of out of luck on that one, because you would need a harp in the key of B, and if you only have 5 harps I would definitely not recommend you getting your next harp in the key of B. It's one of the least used keys, so I would recommend not getting one until you have all of the more commonly used keys, and even then I would recommend getting back ups for the most commonly used keys first.
What you can do (since you only 5 keys at the moment) is use a program like Audacity to alter the pitch of songs to a key that you have the correct harmonica for. So for Folsom Prison Blues, I would use Audacity to raise the pitch up a half step from F# to G, so that you can use your C harp to play along.
Last Edited by on Nov 25, 2012 12:10 PM
Thanks everyone for all the info. I know I have to work on doing it by ear, but if I think I know, I want to be able to be sure. Just in the last week I have heard more songs in F so I plan on investing in a Bb harp as well.
Still working on this skill myself. That video Gene posted seemed pretty interesting with what sounded like some new ideas. I'm downloading it now so I can finish watching it.
What I find tough about learning this skill is how to get from the point where you think you're humming the root tone, you pull out your chromatic/piano/whatever and play a middle octave and think you have a matching or a set of possible matching notes, but when you finally narrow it down it ends up being not the right one. It's hard to see how to get from the wrong guesses to eventually building up to frequent right answers. There's also some mental blocks for me like what if the note your humming is in a different octave then the one you are checking against. I don't think it's really an issue but mentally it gets to me, lol. Luckily I got some people to check my answers against otherwise I'm not sure how you'd be sure when you are first starting out guessing.
If you supposedly got the tonic, it may be useful to play the fourth and fifth degree if the tune is a blues: then you'll hear those notes in the tune as well, possibly hidden in chords...
You'll find out if you guessed wrong as soon as you pick up a harp and start to play along. If you did, just go back and try again. It doesn't cost anything and it seems a lot easier (and better for your ears) than going to the internet to find someone else's opinion.
It ain't rocket science; there are only twelve major and twelve minor keys. You get it right eventually and the more you do it, the easier it gets.
Try the two draw or three blow on different harps. The two draw/three blow is the root note of the I chord and the Fifth of the IV chord.
Thus, that note will sound really dang good in about 5/6 of most songs.
---------- David
____________________ At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong. R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
If you want to look like a rank amateur, keep picking up different harps and blowing through them on stage until you find the key. Sorry - not for me. Pick up the C harp, get the key, pick up the right harp. ---------- /Greg
Greg, he's not talking about doing this on stage, he's playing along with CDs and stuff. I might feel a little amateurish blowing various notes on the wrong harp until I found the right one on stage. I've never done that. All you have to do is look at the guitar and see what chords he's playing and you have the key. Or, I guess I could just ask somebody on stage.
---------- David
____________________ At the time of his birth, it was widely accepted that no one man could play that much music so well or raise that much hell. He proved them all wrong. R.I.P. H. Cecil Payne
Another thing I do is when I'm planning on keying songs I arrange my harps by the circle of fifths (instead of the default low to high). Since keys that share a lot of notes are next to each other on the circle it lets you sort of hone in on the right one. If all the notes sound wrong, skip to the other side of the circle. The more 'right' notes you have the closer you are getting.
Now, you guys who are accustomed to perform in jams... tell me? Someone of the band will tell you in what key they'll play? Otherwise: it means you'll have to carry at least 24 harps to be prepared to any eventuality? I can tell you: I'll never never dare sitting in a jam session, NEVER! And...hats off for those who do that successfully!
I carry twenty harps. I'd bring more if I had room in my case.
Yes, someone will almost always tell you the key if you ask, but that doesn't mean you have time to drive home and get a harp. You need to grab and play. Also, sometimes I'll switch harps mid-song to play a different position or switch between low and high F or Eb harps.
Don't say never. Jamming the most fun you can have with your clothes on.
