Jim Rumbaugh
1293 posts
Mar 06, 2018
7:27 PM
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I am looking for suggestions.
I have been trying to work out the melody to “City of New Orleans” on a standard Richter harp.
The problem is the need to play the major 7 and the flatted 7 scale tones.
The major 7 scale tone is in the line “Good morning America how are you”
The flatted 7 scale tone is in “I’ll be gone 500 miles when the day is done”
So far, I have 2 answers
1) 2nd position on the high end. I can blow bend the 9 to get the major 7 and use the 9 draw for the flat 7th
2) 2 harps
There has been a post by Frosty on this forum using a Powerbender/Paddy Richter. tuned harp. I do not want to use a special tuned harp, though I will use 2 harps.
Any other suggestions from the forum??
Thanks in advance
Jim Rumbaugh
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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Tom585
65 posts
Mar 06, 2018
8:03 PM
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Jim,
You could also use a melody maker or country tuned harp where you get the major 7 in the draw 5 and just bend it down a half step when you want the flat 7.
Or overblow the 5 hole blow to get the major 7 on a standard tuned harp. That's what I do to play this song. It's a fun song to play the melody.
Another way would be to play a half-valved harp in standard tuning and bend the 6 blow down to get the major 7.
This is how we end up spending too much money on harps!
Last Edited by Tom585 on Mar 06, 2018 8:05 PM
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Sarge
672 posts
Mar 07, 2018
5:51 AM
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Get a chromatic harmonica!!!
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Wisdom does not always come with old age. Sometimes old age arrives alone.
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Gnarly
2445 posts
Mar 07, 2018
7:42 AM
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So, use a high G for second and a D for first.
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Martin
1427 posts
Mar 07, 2018
10:21 AM
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Without knowing your skill level, Jim, I´d say 1st position. There´s no taboo against that one.
Just played it, and I moved between first and second octaves -- but if you want to stay really close to the melody, I´d say, play it in the second octave and OB hole 6 at that single point when it´s necessary.
That´s a considerably more stable and easy to hit OB than hole 5, which was suggested above.
I change harps all the time when I play, but if I do it in the middle of a solo or while playing a melody I´m almost sure to mess it up, and the effect becomes the opposite of the intended. (You can see a live take where Norton Buffalo is walking perilously close to disaster while trying to repeat his solo on "Runaway" in a live context.)
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Jim Rumbaugh
1294 posts
Mar 07, 2018
6:50 PM
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Thank you all for your suggestions.
I have not considered using overblow since I have never successfully done one. BUT, I do consider that a valid option and a possible solution for me to work out.
I believe the bottom line is, I was not missing an easy fix and this tune is not really a beginner level tune due to those 2 notes.
I consider my question answered.
Thank you all.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
Last Edited by Jim Rumbaugh on Mar 07, 2018 6:51 PM
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hvyj
3538 posts
Mar 08, 2018
10:58 AM
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I have no idea how the melody actually lays out, so this may not be practical, but on the draw 2 bends in second position you do have both major and minor 7ths. FWIW.
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Jim Rumbaugh
1295 posts
Mar 08, 2018
1:00 PM
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HVYJ
You are right, and you are right.
The 2 draw will get that major and flatted 7, but there's not enough room at the bottom for the melody. Good observation though.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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Gnarly
2446 posts
Mar 08, 2018
1:13 PM
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I have a high G 10 hole that starts two holes lower, it fits on that one.
Tuning is | C d | E f# | G a | B d | D f# | G a | B c | D e | G f# | B a |
So a Lucky 13 would let you do it.
Last Edited by Gnarly on Mar 08, 2018 1:13 PM
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dougharps
1732 posts
Mar 08, 2018
1:35 PM
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Even though I could probably successfully use a 5 OB to play the major 7 in 2nd with some keys of my harps, I would likely choose the 2 harp approach to play the full melody on this Steve Goodman song. Stacking 2 (or 3 harps on some songs) is not that hard. Stacking is certainly easier for me than getting a reliable sustained clear sounding 5 OB with good timbre. Alternate tunings on harps is another option that you ruled out.
When I play this song accompanying a vocalist I just vamp, fill, and solo using chord notes. I don't try to replicate the melody exactly. As an accompanist you can play something related to the melody, but not the exact melody, and it is OK.
However, when accompanying this way I DO watch out to avoid any notes dissonant with chord notes even if the note works with the root note! (courtesy of Todd Parrott's instruction regarding chords at HarmoniCollege).
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Mar 08, 2018 1:37 PM
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Diggsblues
2160 posts
Mar 09, 2018
8:08 AM
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country tuned harp 2nd position you get the Maj7 and you can easily bend that to the b7
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Martin
1436 posts
Mar 09, 2018
12:28 PM
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@Diggsblues:
OP: "I do not want to use a special tuned harp, though I will use 2 harps."
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SweetBlood
52 posts
Mar 12, 2018
6:58 PM
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How about trying it in 3rd position on the low end?
Since you already have it in second and you don't mind using two harps, that will give you the melody in two octaves.
People don't think about using 3rd for a major melody, but it actually works out pretty nicely in the lower octave.
Last Edited by SweetBlood on Mar 12, 2018 6:58 PM
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Jim Rumbaugh
1296 posts
Mar 12, 2018
8:14 PM
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SweetBlood
You get a gold star.
You are RIGHT.
I could get ALL the notes via bends.
I had not thought about 3rd for major scales. That is my blind spot.
BUT, I know my limits :)
I'm too lazy and not accurate enough enough to pull off. But you ar RIGHT.
THANKS
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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