Icemaster
12 posts
Jan 19, 2011
8:07 PM
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I just ordered two Marine Band Deluxes. Key of C#/Db and Key of Low F#/Gb. I bought them because they were only $16 a piece and I had a $25 Amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket. So I really just bought them to add to my collection but my question is, does anyone really use these keys for anything? Or any other uncommon keys for that matter?
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"A harmonica is not just a souped up kazoo?" -Mo Rocca
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Todd Parrott
347 posts
Jan 19, 2011
9:19 PM
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I use these 2 keys all the time (except regular F#, not low F#). I have never understood why more blues isn't played in the key of Ab, which is an incredible sounding key. I suppose this is perhaps it is easier to play the guitar in E, A, G, D, etc.? I'm not a guitar player, so I can't be sure. I purposely try to play in all the keys, because otherwise music can't get pretty boring. You'll probably find these keys used more commonly for Gospel music or jazz. It's certainly good to have them in your case, as you never know when you'll need them.
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nacoran
3673 posts
Jan 19, 2011
9:39 PM
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Sometimes tremolo players will play chromatically by stacking a C and a C# on top of each other and switching back and forth. It's not quite on topic, but you can have some fun playing diatonics this way too. There are different options, from keys that are pretty much opposite, like C/C# or grab a key and it's cross harp key. (I have one tune I switch between the 1st and 2nd position harps to switch from a sweet to a cranky sound.) I only mention it because you mentioned the C#.
That's a great price. Almost worth it just for the combs.
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Nate
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RT123
43 posts
Jan 20, 2011
6:34 AM
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I am probably wrong, but I thought C# and Bb are the same.
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Joch230
390 posts
Jan 20, 2011
7:22 AM
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You will use the Db when you play with Guitar players who tune their guitars down a half step ala Stevie Ray Vaughn.
-John
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earlounge
265 posts
Jan 20, 2011
7:23 AM
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I wonder why Hohner uses F# instead of Gb? Is it because in the old days the lowest key was G and the the highest key was F#? Gb would have confused people because it seems like it would have been lower than G? Do any companies out there use Gb? Just curious...
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Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2011 8:37 AM
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Andrew
1293 posts
Jan 20, 2011
8:32 AM
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@RT123: if you mean C# and Db, then they are the same, yes.
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Andrew,
gentleman of leisure,
noodler extraordinaire.
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RT123
44 posts
Jan 20, 2011
8:54 AM
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Yes i did mean C# and Db. sorry, i guess it was early for me when i read the post. i thought icemaster was saying he bought a C# and a Db and that kinda threw me off.
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chromaticblues
497 posts
Jan 20, 2011
9:07 AM
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"Room To Move" by John Mayal is with an F# I think. I use to practice it years ago. I liked the chord thing he did on that.
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hvyj
1145 posts
Jan 20, 2011
9:19 AM
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I use Db for F natural minor in 5th position. It also gives you Bb natural minor in 4th position. F# gives you Bb natural minor in 5th position.
F natural minor is a fairly common key. Bb natural minor gets called every now and then (usually for jazz material, but occasionally for other stuff)and is what I most often use my F# for. i do quite a bit of playing in minor keys.
C# mostly gets called playing funk. seems to be a common funk key, but it's gets called sometimes for other material, too. so i also use my F# in second position for C#. Personally, i don't use low tuned harps.
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2011 9:23 AM
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hvyj
1155 posts
Jan 20, 2011
7:58 PM
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Used my Db tonight. A tune got called in Eb Dorian minor=Db harp in third position.
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MP
1283 posts
Jan 20, 2011
9:37 PM
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yeah chro, 'room to move' is definately Db so F# harp. it lists the song keys on the turning point album.
paul butterfield does a tune called 'one more heartache' on his 'pigboy crabshaw' album. songs in Ab so Db harp. one of the finest acoustic solos i've ever heard, bar none.
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MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
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BlueDoc
26 posts
Jan 21, 2011
10:22 AM
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"paul butterfield does a tune called 'one more heartache' on his 'pigboy crabshaw' album. songs in Ab so Db harp. one of the finest acoustic solos i've ever heard, bar none."
@MP--+1 on it being one of the finest acoustic solos.
But I think it's in D minor, with Butterfield on a C harp in 3rd position.
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2011 10:30 AM
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nacoran
3685 posts
Jan 21, 2011
11:03 AM
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RT123- Of course, B is called H in Germany and Bb is called B.
"The H is used in Germany and Scandinavia to indicate the B note. What is confusing is that they indicate the Bb chord with `B'. So, when you have tabs that come from Germany or Scandinavia, watch out for this: H stands for B, and B stands for A#/Bb."
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Nate
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MP
1286 posts
Jan 21, 2011
12:47 PM
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Blue,
you may be right, it's been a while. he didn't do a lot in third, other than a muddy tune that escapes me at present.
but it is soooooo well executed,played with elan and aplomb. in other words...cool.
EDIT!! wow Blue! what a BONER! just took the song for a spin on my A and it's unequivecally in 3rd pos. as much as i HATE to be wrong, thanks for the correction. (i hate misinformation worse.:)
i now see why i like it so much. it's a nice departure from his normal 2 pos stuff.
you are probably right about it being a C harp over Db too.
i burn with shame and punitive damages. i wail and gnash teeth. look what you've done to me. happy? :)
MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2011 1:53 PM
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BlueDoc
27 posts
Jan 21, 2011
1:51 PM
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MP,
Yes, and it is so inventive, too. He doesn't seem to dwell a lot on the root note, he soars and dives all over the place.... Very, very cool. I heard this song for the first time only about six months ago, and I was floored. It was playing on the radio, and it was so fresh-sounding that I thought, wow, this must be some new modern hot shot. I was very surprised to find out the recording was forty years old.
I could listen to this song for hours.
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MP
1287 posts
Jan 21, 2011
1:58 PM
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Blue,
TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's original version was a minor hit with hip folks.
[MP trys to shore-up his credibilty]
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MP
hibachi cook for the yakuza
doctor of semiotics
superhero emeritus
Last Edited by on Jan 21, 2011 2:01 PM
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nineveh_harp
56 posts
Jan 21, 2011
9:39 PM
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I play with a lot of people who use alternate tunings on guitar, so I find myself using Ab, B, Db, and Eb quite a bit.
I once went to see a friend's band play and he had asked me earlier in the day to sit in on "Lowrider" so I brought my C harp... Turns out they tune down 1/2 step... oops! Fortunately, I also had my B with me and also my Ab for an E blues they asked me to sit in on as well.
So I say get them all because you just never know!
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