tookatooka
2959 posts
Jun 01, 2012
1:59 PM
|
Going to an open mic night on Monday, It;s not strictly blues and I don't think they've had harp yet. I think up to now it's bring your guitar plug in and sing. My question is: If I was to ask a guitarist, can you do a 12 bar blues to accompany me what? would be the most common key he would probably play in. I'm only going on the off chance that I may play and only have room for one harp. I've been invited for a business meal out at this venue and want to be prepared just in case. I think most guitars will be semi-accoustic so would the key of E eg an A harp be the one to slip in my inside pocket?
Many thanks Guys.
|
garry
223 posts
Jun 01, 2012
2:34 PM
|
a guitarist should be able to play a blues in any key. pick the harp(s) you want to use, and ask him to play in the appropriate key.
----------
|
tookatooka
2960 posts
Jun 01, 2012
2:44 PM
|
I'm thinking the guitarists may not be overly experienced.
----------
|
timeistight
593 posts
Jun 01, 2012
2:44 PM
|
Are you singing? The singer gets to call the key.
|
didjcripey
260 posts
Jun 01, 2012
2:56 PM
|
Can't see how you can't take more than one harp, but anyway, I would take an A harp. If the guitarist can't play a blues in E you'd probably be bettter off to go solo!
----------
Lucky Lester
|
tookatooka
2961 posts
Jun 01, 2012
2:56 PM
|
No I was just going to play harp solo with guitar accompaniment.
|
BeardHarmonica
98 posts
Jun 01, 2012
3:08 PM
|
go with guitar friend
even in a blues jam I can never get any guitar player to play good rythm
|
BronzeWailer
600 posts
Jun 01, 2012
3:32 PM
|
I would take the A harp and be preparedtoplay unaccompanied if necessary.
|
LSC
219 posts
Jun 01, 2012
4:40 PM
|
I used to always wear a sport or suit coat every night when I lived in a colder climate. Your inside jacket pocket should be able to accommodate two harps, with or without case. Take an A and a C. Best to be able to sing. Choose one of the classic Jimmy Reed tunes like Bright Lights, Big City and you should be good to go.
----------
LSC
|
billy_shines
473 posts
Jun 01, 2012
4:50 PM
|
whats so hard about carrying G-A-Bb-C-D-E-F dont you have a man purse?
|
Lazerface
13 posts
Jun 01, 2012
8:43 PM
|
Just watch out, a lot of guitarists (myself included) like to tune to e flat standard these days, so my money would be on either the a flat or a b harp
|
barbequebob
1923 posts
Jun 02, 2012
8:28 AM
|
Eb tuning is often referred to as drop tuning and most of the guys who are doing it are SRV wannabees.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
barbequebob
1924 posts
Jun 02, 2012
8:31 AM
|
Eb tuning is often referred to as drop tuning and most of the guys who are doing it are SRV wannabees.
----------
Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
|
Lazerface
15 posts
Jun 02, 2012
1:56 PM
|
Bob, maybe you should check your facts before posting such condescending comments. Any drop tuning means that you lower the pitch of the lowest string...Eb standard is just called Eb standard. And a lot more people tune that way than you think, not just the srv wannabes
|
billy_shines
475 posts
Jun 02, 2012
2:10 PM
|
whats SRV?
|
ludashoeless
9 posts
Jun 02, 2012
11:01 PM
|
Stevie Ray Vaughan, a guitarist
|
mikolune
131 posts
Jun 03, 2012
2:59 AM
|
This is a de iation from the OP, but I am curious: what is the logic behind droping half a tone ?
|
BigBlindRay
158 posts
Jun 03, 2012
3:12 AM
|
Hi MBHers.
@tookatooka, when it comes to guitar and blues in an open mic environment, the key of E is very common as its easy for the guitarist to play in E in standard tuning.
However you might have someone who prefers an open tuning, Open D and G are common.
I would play it safe and take C,G and A harps.
----------
Big Blind Ray's YouTube Channel
Mavis and her China Pigs
|
tookatooka
2962 posts
Jun 03, 2012
3:38 AM
|
Thanks BBR. I will take three just in case.
----------
|
billy_shines
477 posts
Jun 03, 2012
5:07 AM
|
oh god i hate SRV blues douches. nah i wont play with them. i used to own a metal bodied electric resophonic guit tuned in open G i would bring it to jams like asshole florida open mics so i could actually get up. guitarists would get a hardon for it and want to play it. so i only carried a C harp and the guitar. sometimes a G because a few guys played in dropped D. EbAbDbGbBbEb tuning is for jerk guitarists who cant bend strings, it makes it easier to play. and keeps harp players off the stage unless they carry odd keys that didnt exist say 60-70- years ago when REAL blues was played and recorded.
|
