groyster1
368 posts
Aug 19, 2010
6:16 PM
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I cannot for the life of me understand why I love to blow a Bb harp-I almost wish everybody played in the key of F-no rhyme or reason to me
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Joe_L
558 posts
Aug 19, 2010
6:18 PM
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Playing in F too much is a great way to get guitar and bass players on your bad side.
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groyster1
369 posts
Aug 19, 2010
6:26 PM
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thanks for the tip but I will just go with the flow but if the key is in D would rather play C in 3rd position hate playing G harps in 2nd only in 3rd
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Kyzer Sosa
747 posts
Aug 19, 2010
7:42 PM
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A and G are my favorite harps to play. Followed very closely by Bb...higher keys are just too shrill. I have an F, but sincerely wish I'd gotten a low F instead...D is as high a key as I wish to go for playing along with anything...to each his own
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Kyzer's Travels
Kyzer's Artwork
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Ant138
539 posts
Aug 19, 2010
11:47 PM
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I'm with Kyser, A and G are also my favorite keys along with Ab. Bb is about as high as i like to go, i'm not really that keen on the key of C. I don't know why. I bought a Solist Pro in F last week just to complete my key set but i really can't see me playing it too often, its just handy to have in case i'm jamming with someone and i have to use it but it's way to high for me:o)
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Last Edited by on Aug 19, 2010 11:48 PM
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The Gloth
447 posts
Aug 20, 2010
1:25 AM
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Bb harp is always the one I carry in my pocket. I usually play it when I'm drunk. It's a Hohner Bluesharp, I wouldn't dare to bring a Manji or a valved Promaster everywhere to spit my beer in it...
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http://www.buddybrent.be
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Andrew
1127 posts
Aug 20, 2010
1:37 AM
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I've had a Bb MB, MDB and Seydel Solist Pro, and they all needed a huge amount of gapping and embossing to be playable, so I'm not a big fan.
I've put all my high harps in a separate box, not with the intention of forgetting about them, rather I thought first I'll practise on the low harps then maybe concentrate on the high harps some other time, but someone was talking about a Creedance song yesterday, and I listened to it and it was in the key of B, so I got out my Hering 1923 in E and played along and I actually enjoyed it.
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Andrew,
gentleman of leisure,
noodler extraordinaire.
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Chickenthief
61 posts
Aug 20, 2010
2:37 AM
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@Kyzer and Ant -
if you get a chance check out Barbeque Bob wringing it out on an F harp. He's got a tune called "Sad to be Alone" played in C on his CD "Live at the Waterfront".
He's got another one there where he uses a low F.
Love that CD.
Last Edited by on Aug 20, 2010 9:29 AM
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Helix
42 posts
Aug 20, 2010
4:32 AM
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I agree that Bb harp is special and I was also drawn to it over other keys especially when practicing solo.Although harmonica keys are equal in terms of the scale degrees they are laid out with, they are certainly different tonally and indeed evoke different emotions from the player/listener.
I agree with Joe L that certain guitar players will give you grief about playing in the key of F. I have also had the pleasure of working with some damn good guitarists who do not mind playing in F or any other key for that matter.
After playing for over thirty years I find that I like all of the the 14 stamped keys fairly equally now and I am just as at home on a high G harp as I am on a regular G or any other. I understand what you are going through and there was a time that I also disliked "G harp" and I would cringe when I had to play cross harp in D.
After a few years of attending country jams where D is a very common key especially among male singers I have mastered G harp and have grow to love it and also choose it for my own blues numbers.
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GermanHarpist
1703 posts
Aug 20, 2010
5:58 AM
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Although I also somehow prefer the lower harps, the choice of which key I prefer isn't so much related to the sound but to the playability of the spicific harp.
I'm sure I'd also enjoy playing a Bb but the only one I have is a crappy Bluesband. So my favorite harp at the moment is my good old 1847 in G. And my preferred scale 2nd position minor, so Dm.
At my local jam we often start out on a key and we kind of stick to it. And because there's rarely someone besides me that utters a wish of key, it mostly lands on the keys/harps I enjoy most.
The keys we mostly land on are 1847(F) 2nd for Blues C, 1847(G) 2nd Minor stuff, Sp20(C) 2nd major stuff in G, rarely somthing in A (1923(LD), Bluesmaster(D)) and happily I pretty much never something in E which would be my BH(A).
The thing that not all people are always so excited about is after I say "something minor"... I turn to the rhytm guitar and try to show him the gypsy rhytm. tum chak tum chak tum chak... after I asked to put down the pick. :)
Last Edited by on Aug 20, 2010 6:04 AM
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barbequebob
1158 posts
Aug 20, 2010
10:55 AM
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The main reason why many guitar players hate playing in F is because whenever you do shuffles in E or A, you have some open strings that make certain things much easier to play, but they become more difficult when playing in F, as often times for the more down home stuff, they have to have one finger hitting the first fret and then some of those patterns get tougher to play.
I've often told guitar players to just go get a capo and place it on the 1st fret and then using all the fingering pattterns they used in E, and they'll have no problem because everything has been moved 1 fret up the fingerboard, but many refuse to as part of this stems from classical guitar playing where just the idea of using a capo at all is deemed as pure heresy.
On the other hand, if you're playing with horns and/or doing jump and swing, F is a phenomenol key for playing that stuff and it makes sense why LW played in that key but he also had guitar players with him that weren't afraid of that key at all.
Some keys like Ab as an example, is a key favored by horns and can be a blast working with, but asking to play in keys like that in 95% of open jams is flat out asking for trouble because the vast majority aren't proficient enough, ESPECIALLY when it comes to rhythm playig to even fathom using it, let alone playing it halfway decently.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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groyster1
373 posts
Aug 20, 2010
11:05 AM
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My baby bro is a guitar player who once played rhythym guitar in local band he seems to only want to play in E and A
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boris_plotnikov
210 posts
Aug 20, 2010
11:11 AM
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Bb is my favourite key. Very useful in jazz.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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groyster1
374 posts
Aug 20, 2010
11:14 AM
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@Boris
do you mean an Eb harp in 2nd or a C harp in 3rd position?
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TNFrank
5 posts
Sep 13, 2010
1:47 PM
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Only reason I'm even thinking about getting a Bb is because Adam keeps dragin' em' out in his YouTube vids, LOL.
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Hohner Harps:
Golden Melody in C(bought in '76)
Blues Band in C(what else,LOL)
Big River in A
Hot Metal harps in G, A, C, D, and E)
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Miles Dewar
462 posts
Sep 13, 2010
3:21 PM
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The best keys to have are the ones that work. LoL
But it's "G" "C" and "F" for me.
I love high harps. I also love Little Walter's "Blue Light" and "Instrumental".
Last Edited by on Sep 13, 2010 3:26 PM
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TNFrank
11 posts
Sep 13, 2010
3:26 PM
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"The best keys to have are the ones that work."
Hey, there's a Blues song in there somewhere.
"You changed the locks on me, now my key don't fit your door.
You changed the locks on me baby, now my key don't fit your door.
Keep doing stuff like that to me and I'll think you don't want me round here any more."
Now, someone put it to 12 Bar and let's hear what it'll sound like. LOL
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Hohner Harps:
Golden Melody in C(bought in '76)
Blues Band in C(what else,LOL)
Big River in A
Hot Metal harps in G, A, C, D, and E)
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TNFrank
12 posts
Sep 13, 2010
3:29 PM
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Thanks, I've always been good with words. ;)
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Hohner Harps:
Golden Melody in C(bought in '76)
Blues Band in C(what else,LOL)
Big River in A
Hot Metal harps in G, A, C, D, and E)
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hvyj
595 posts
Sep 13, 2010
4:12 PM
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I view my instrument as being my performing set of 12 harps. I select the position and the key I need to play the particular tune that's called, and I adjust my breath technique and attack to suit the key of harp I'm playing--lower harps respond differently than higher harps. Given a choice, though, I like playing my D or Eb harps, because it's fun to play with a sharp attack. But I'm fine with any of the 12 standard keys, including Bb. Just tell me the key and give me the changes and I'll pick whatever harp (or harps) I need to use.
I don't like tenor tuned harps, though and i don't carry any. I'm ok with High G, but tonally, that starts to approach dog whistle territory. German Harpist likes to say that "resonance is key." Well, that is what you need to keep higher tuned harps from sounding shrill. That, and decent mic handling technique (I'm an electric player and never perform "in air").
Btw, a harmonicas player doesn't choose what harp to play--the music dictates that. You can choose what position to play it in, but the material dictates the key.
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