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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Minors and Cross Harp
Minors and Cross Harp
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SpecialSean
14 posts
Mar 17, 2014
10:28 AM
Hi All,

When a song is in a minor do you play the cross harp of the parallel or relative major?

Thanks!
Sean
timeistight
1512 posts
Mar 17, 2014
11:10 AM
Can we define your terms a little more precisely?

"cross harp of the parallel major" -- Do you mean 2nd position, e.g., A minor on a D harp? That can work and it's fairly common; you just need to be careful to avoid the major thirds on the 3 and 7 draws.

"cross harp of the relative major" -- Does that mean 5th position, e.g., A minor on an F harp? That can also work although it's less commonly used. Avoid the minor seconds on the 5 and 9 draws.

Other useful minor positions are 3rd (A minor on a G harp) and 4th (A minor on a C harp). Both have their strengths and weaknesses.
1847
1596 posts
Mar 17, 2014
11:18 AM

2014-03-16 15 02 30 from bob cooper on Vimeo.


ok i did this yesterday.i am going to take it down cause i can do better.

i am using a low F in A minor and a D harp also
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica
"but i play it anyway"
SpecialSean
15 posts
Mar 17, 2014
11:54 AM
Yeah, sorry about that. D Minors's relative major would be F, so standard cross harp would be Bb. Would you play a Bb or a G since that would be the cross harp for D?
timeistight
1513 posts
Mar 17, 2014
12:26 PM
You can play D minor on a Bb harp: that's 5th position.

However, it's much more common to play D minor on a C harp (3rd position). D minor on a G harp (2nd position) is also pretty common, although not as common as 3rd.
SpecialSean
16 posts
Mar 17, 2014
12:38 PM
Awesome, thanks!
snowman
42 posts
Mar 17, 2014
7:08 PM
if the I chord is the only minor chord I use straight cross harp I only have to avoid draw 3 [major third] as my 7 draw is flatted to b3- if the I and Iv and or V are all minor I use a'nat minor' tuned harp all the 3's 6ths are flatted - making very easy to play on a rack--not much thinking-- i can play third position but pretty much all notes work on nat minor in cross with I IV V being minor try one and get use to the sound-takes about 3 monthes to adjust to the different sound but now i can use either minor tuned or regular and it sounds normal great chords on nat minor as well


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