geordiebluesman
346 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:50 PM
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Hi Harpers, i have a backing track in the key of G minor that fits some lyrics i have had floating round my head for about a year but i'm not sure what key of harp to use for second position on it.
Obviously i would use a C harp for a track in G but this is G minor and i'm not sure if the C harp is the right one, can someone advise please. Cheers Geordie.
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hvyj
933 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:56 PM
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If it's natural minor, use Eb harp in fifth position or a Bb harp in fourth position.
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toddlgreene
2260 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:57 PM
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Geordie-I play 2nd position over minor tunes often-and it usually works. Give it a whirl before you go shopping for minor-tuned harps or default to 3rd or others. Nothing wrong with the other options, of couse, but many players I know will automatically reach for a minor tuned harp before trying it out.
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
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hvyj
935 posts
Dec 16, 2010
1:59 PM
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I play in minor keys all the time and I don't even own any minor tuned harps.
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toddlgreene
2261 posts
Dec 16, 2010
2:03 PM
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There ya go! I played a gig Friday night that HarveyHarps' band as well. They played first, and Harvey metioned to me(I was sitting right in front of him)that it was a minor tune in whichever key, I forget. He loves to play minor-tuned harps, and has LOTS of harps in minor keys and otherwise. He played his 12 bars, then handed the mic to me and I played in 2nd-it was seamless.
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Todd L. Greene, Codger-in-training
Last Edited by on Dec 16, 2010 2:04 PM
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Swezey8
47 posts
Dec 16, 2010
2:10 PM
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Guessing it's your first venture into playing along with a minor tune. I'd say start with a F harp and play in third position- I think the note layout is slightly easier than 4th/5th position, at least when delving into anything past 2nd. You can try todd's suggestion but depending on the chord structure and your ear it's not always conducive to easy playing and the sound of a different position is something cool to experiment with!
OT but along the same lines I just played 12th pos at a live gig for the first time about 2 weeks ago and it sounded pretty good- played over a more "pop" tune. No pats on the back needed lol, just a cool experience from someone who didn't ever use anything other than 2nd pos 6-8 months ago
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upstate
39 posts
Dec 16, 2010
2:30 PM
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i play in open mics and jams and have only played in G minor once.i played my low f in 3rd pos.and it sounded real good.but i get a lot of chances to play in A minor so i got a lee oskar A minor harp and i love it.I recommend to any good player to try a minor harp for a different sound. to play 2nd pos.with a lee oskar in G minor youd get a G minor harp.i dont play other minor keys enough to get a different one but ill always have an A minor harp.
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Swezey8
48 posts
Dec 16, 2010
2:41 PM
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I remember seeing on Youtube a Jason Ricci vid where he does a side by side on a minor tune using 3rd position and a minor tuned harp. Want to say it was 'Summertime'...might be worth a quick search
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AirMojo
54 posts
Dec 16, 2010
3:02 PM
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For a minor tune, I will always try 5th position... I've been thinking about getting some extra harps converted over to country-tuning so that the 5 draw (and 9 draw if smo-jo country tuned) could be used in 5th position, otherwise you have to avoid the 5/9 draws.
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nacoran
3421 posts
Dec 16, 2010
3:14 PM
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G Minor is the relative minor to Bb Major. What that means is that they have the same notes; you just start the scale on G for a minor scale and Bb for a major scale. So, the simplest way to do it is to think of it for just a second like it's in Bb and grab your F harp.
You can get fancy and play on other harps but if you play the F harp and start on the G hole it's probably simplest. :)
The Circle of Fifths! Great for figuring out cross harp, relative minors, what flats or sharps are in a key, decorative art, grating cheese and erasing stains! (The image is from the Wikipedia page on the Circle of Fifths if you want to do more reading.)
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Nate
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groyster1
584 posts
Dec 16, 2010
3:21 PM
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I would play my only low F harp in 3rd position
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hvyj
938 posts
Dec 16, 2010
3:23 PM
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@AirMojo"in 5th position, otherwise you have to avoid the 5/9 draws."
You can use the 5/9 draws on the V chord. That note would be the flat 5th of the V chord. Just another approach.
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