dchurch
154 posts
Nov 10, 2017
7:08 AM
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I've seen Marine Bands labeled both ways Ab and G#. Did Hohner switch between the two markings over the years (when)?
It seems odd to sell the same harp labeled different ways. It looks like Lee Oskar, Seydel, and Suzuki stick with Ab.
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It's about time I got around to this.
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WinslowYerxa
1474 posts
Nov 10, 2017
8:37 AM
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I think the G# labeling is older. I've also seen both C# and Db.
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Flbl
38 posts
Nov 12, 2017
5:20 PM
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I was looking thru the Rockin Ron site and noticed something about the Easttop harmonicas, it said that they label Ab as G#, and Eb as D#.
Could Hohner be labeling some for the Asian market?
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Andrew
1723 posts
Nov 13, 2017
4:27 AM
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C# exists in theory books, I think, but it and Db are beyond the borderline between key sigs - C# is 7 sharps; Db is 5 flats. The relative minors would be A# minor (with 7 sharps) and Bb minor (with 5 flats). I doubt very much that anyone has ever used A# minor. So I think people abandoned the more complex for the simpler and out of the window went C# and A# minor in favour of the simpler Db/Bb minor.
The real borderline is 6 sharps vs 6 flats. Gb is 6 flats and F# is 6 sharps. The relative minors are Eb minor and D# minor respectively, and I doubt anyone has ever used D# minor. (every time I say that, someone produces one frigging example!)
But you probably get people who insist Gb and F# have different "colours" ('cos we all have to cater for the one in a million with synaesthesia). But F# may be less popular than Gb. But it's still the standard harp key. 6 of one and half a dozen of the other, literally!
There might be other considerations - whether you are writing for violins or a brass band or you just want to show off. Some composers are simply fans of sharps and some are fans of flats. Who knows - maybe there's a musician out there who is into mysticism and is writing a piece in 9 sharps.
But in the case of G# and Ab, I can't understand why there should ever have been a G#. Ditto for D#. In terms of music theory, the key sig for G# would be 8 sharps, but there are only 7 unique notes in the scale, so C# is the limit in that respect.
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Andrew.
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Last Edited by Andrew on Nov 13, 2017 7:27 AM
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