John95683
104 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:00 AM
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A band leader told me that his band plays tuned a half step down. What does that mean for the harp player, playing in second position? If the song is in A, for example, would I still play a D harp in second position?
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JInx
529 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:03 AM
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it means, start looking for good deals on harps in the flat keys. i picked up a killer deluxe Eb and Db here for a song.
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Sun, sun, sun
Burn, burn, burn
Soon, soon, soon
Moon, moon, moon
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Goldbrick
264 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:18 AM
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It means you go 1/2 step lower too. You need Dflat harp
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jawbone
530 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:20 AM
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Hey John - For the harp player you also have to play 1/2 step down - so they are playing in E flat you would need an A flat harp and so on.
I think Stevie Ray Vaughan made this popular and sometimes bandleaders do it just to discourage harp players :-) If you are serious you really should have every key available (plus it really gets under their skin unless they want to tune a 1/4 step down)
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
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1847
1059 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:24 AM
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tell the guy he needs to play in Bb
if he cant hand him a capo
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there's a new sheriff in town
i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
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nacoran
7116 posts
Sep 10, 2013
11:36 AM
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Let's play in Db but call it D just for the fun of it!!!
(I know, I know, there is a reason, but it's goofy.)
How about 'open' and 'drop' tunings. Guitar players seem to have no idea what key to call when they are in an open tuning. "Uh, guys, I'm in drop D with a capo on the 4th fret, and I'm playing in a minor key... and one two three four... hey, why don't you have the right harp out yet?"
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John95683
105 posts
Sep 10, 2013
12:01 PM
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Crap, that's what I thought. I've been asked to audition for a really good band, so I can hardly tell them to do something different. I don't have any flat harps, and since I've never had the need for them,I hate to spend the money, only to find out that I didn't get the gig.
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Gnarly
698 posts
Sep 10, 2013
12:05 PM
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Yes, you can kinda get by with 6 keys, so now you need the other 6.
The good news, they will last a lot longer.
You can, of course, tune existing harps down a half step--painstaking but cheap--I have done it, that's where my low F# came from.
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John95683
106 posts
Sep 10, 2013
12:54 PM
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Trying to keep the number of new harps that I would have to buy to minimum, what keys would I need to buy? The band plays blues, blue/rock/, and a lot of original songs. Realistically, I think the chance of them asking me to join them are pretty low.
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STME58
539 posts
Sep 10, 2013
1:05 PM
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You may already have an Fb and Cb harp :-)
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6SN7
365 posts
Sep 10, 2013
1:12 PM
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The reasoning I have been given this is done is
1) That's what Hendrix did
2) That's what SRV did
3) Its easier to sing the song.
This has typically happen with me with guitar oriented bands.
I own all keys, and I rarely, hardly ever get a chance to use the B, Db and F#.
A,Bb,C,D,Eb,F,G,E,Ab,LoF, that's what came to the last gig.
The Crawl is in B, my pianist likes to sing/play in Eb, and LoF is a great harp.
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jawbone
531 posts
Sep 10, 2013
1:23 PM
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If they have asked you to audition they must not be too adverse to harp players - maybe ask what key they play the majority of songs in and pick up just a couple of new harps - even if you had a couple of Big Rivers just to get by. Just a thought.
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
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Goldbrick
265 posts
Sep 10, 2013
2:52 PM
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I do it myself ( tune down) when I play blues guitar. Why?
Easier to sing
Easier to get big string bends on thicker strings on electric
Easier to play in general on old acoustic guitars with less pressure on bridge- especially 12 strings
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Thievin' Heathen
245 posts
Sep 10, 2013
4:16 PM
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I walked into a similar situation awhile back. I was asked, "does this pose a problem?" and my immediate reply was "No". Well, that was not exactly accurate. While I did have the harps available, my Eb, Ab, Db, were not in the best of tune. Certainly not as sweet as the new Seydels I was anticipating needing. And, it left out the 365's.
Always be prepared.
Last Edited by Thievin' Heathen on Sep 10, 2013 4:17 PM
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Gnarly
700 posts
Sep 10, 2013
4:57 PM
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I have a B chromatic for just such an occasion . . .
I retuned a SCX-56 for Will Galison so he can play with guys like that--he actually needed it to play a song with Sting, when Stevie was unavailable, but we don't stock them, so he had to use another brand.
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dougharps
433 posts
Sep 10, 2013
5:58 PM
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If you have reached the level of auditioning for a good band, and want to play at that level, then you need to have at least a full set of diatonics, and maybe even backup harps. If you have a song list for the band, with keys, you can buy better harps for the most used keys, and Big Rivers for the least used keys.
You will need to have the harps to play in the keys (in whatever position you like) 1/2 step flatter than the key they call. Think of it as getting the equipment needed for a pro or semi-pro gig.
If you are serious about playing harp for money, you need to invest in the gear.
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Doug S.
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joe
87 posts
Sep 10, 2013
6:50 PM
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@nacoran
i had a great chortle at your little cameo ...
classic guitar tunes string 6 down to D quite often
and sometimes other strings
but tuning the whole band down is goofy and eccentric.
if we a need a song lower for a singer, say, we just
adapt and that's fine. saxes, brass, guitars, strings can handle that, modern keyboards can use the switch if they must.
on the other hand, the humble harmonica player
must be prepared since we play a unique instrument.
joe
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UTC+10
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Chris L
7 posts
Sep 10, 2013
9:49 PM
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Watch for clearance sales as when Hohner updated its packaging last year. Db, Ab and B are the last to go. Some big music chains may still have a few. I filled out my full set with odd keys at half price!
Or ask the band to go a whole step and finally get some use out of that beautiful G harp you've had for years and hardly used....
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dougharps
434 posts
Sep 11, 2013
7:56 AM
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It is worth regularly checking Amazon for harps in these "less common" keys. Last year I bought B and Db Marine Band Deluxe harps for around $30! Here is a regular Marine Band for $21!
Db Marine Band at Amazon
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Doug S.
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colman
263 posts
Sep 11, 2013
9:23 AM
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I been playing harp and guitar over 40 yrs. and tune guitar e-flat or D. looser strings for easyer blues bends as {a.king}.so i`ve always had flat A.D + ALL THE OTHER HARPS.So tuning guitar on D,makes it easer all around.most of the old black blues guitar men tuned low...
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Gnarly
701 posts
Sep 11, 2013
9:47 AM
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I was able to hang with John Sebastian a little bit at this year's SPAH--quite a thrill for me since he is my first harmonica inspiration--I had all the Lovin' Spoonful albums!
I spoke with him about his vocal style, which has changed to accommodate his range (which has dropped--he no longer sounds like the Welcome Back Kotter guy, more like an old bluesman). He plays baritone guitars and capos up!
Last Edited by Gnarly on Sep 11, 2013 9:48 AM
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