HawkeyeKane
1245 posts
Oct 11, 2012
6:51 AM
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I received this forwarded message this morning from my bandleader.
"Hey Hawkeye- got this message. Do you have a suggestion for him? Thanks
From: Bocephus Wayne
kevin, im guessing you may be able to help me with this, and if you don't could you ask your harmonica bretheren? my band prefers to play half step down. which means i had to throw my harmonicas out. none sounded right. I need to buy at least two soon that will work. one song is one chord. E "mind you half step down now" next song is G-D-C "again, half step down" what key of harmonica do i need to buy now? lol please help!!!!"
I'm not sure how to help him here. I mean I suppose if he's good enough of a bender, he could pull it off with his current harps, but that's a LOT of bending.
Any thoughts?
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Hawkeye Kane
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STME58
255 posts
Oct 11, 2012
8:19 AM
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I am wondering if I am missing something in the question because my answer seems too obvious.
If the band is transposing a half step down from E, isn't that just Eb? If so, your Ab harp should do the trick in second position. The song in G would normally be played on a C harp in second so grab a Cb(B) for 1/2 step down. That is one of the great advantages of harp, you don't tranpose, you just grab another harp. B is a pain to play in on other instruments(5 sharps in the key signature) but with a B harp it is easy.
Now, if the band decides to play down a quarter step you are out of luck with the harp. A piano is tough to take down a quarter step also.
Last Edited by on Oct 11, 2012 8:25 AM
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lor
162 posts
Oct 11, 2012
8:23 AM
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I'm gonna say Bocephus's band doesn't want a harp player.
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Joe_L
2104 posts
Oct 11, 2012
9:51 AM
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Tell him to go to Rockin' Ron's and buy the "weird" keys that he didn't think he would have any use for.
Ab, B, Db, E and F#.
He should then be set instrument-wise provided he really didn't throw his other harps away.
The second thing he should do is take a first level music class at his local community college. He will learn about notes, chords and the circle of fifths. He will have to memorize some basic stuff and be able to do that sort of computation relatively easily as it is really nothing more than basic math and some easy memorization.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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Rick Davis
791 posts
Oct 11, 2012
10:20 AM
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I'm with lor -- Bocephus's band doesn't want a harp player.
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-Rick Davis
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
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HawkeyeKane
1246 posts
Oct 11, 2012
10:19 AM
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@lor
For once, I think the harp player can tell the band "tough shit" considering it's Bocephus' band. I love that little piece of poetic justice.
@STME & Joe
I kinda thought along those lines, but my theory is really rusty, so I wanted to check with you guys first. I also REALLY hope he didn't actually chuck his harps because they "didn't sound right". I'll pass this along and send a harp key chart as well.
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Hawkeye Kane
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STME58
257 posts
Oct 11, 2012
11:28 AM
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If Bocephus buys the harps he needs and figures out which to use, and the band decides to tune a 1/4 step flat he will know LOR and Rick are right.
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