Slidemeister (Chromatic & related only - no Diatonic discussion) > Visitors & Newbees Stop Here First!

A quick question.

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Mike Hammer:
I'm planning to play with some friends, but instead of them using a capo on the guitar, or me being blue in the face, trying to hit the appropriate key, can anyone advice me what key  to choose when i buy a new harmonica.
i have harmonica's in "C"  & "D" &"G", but when i play along with the radio, i can't seem to find the right key.
i was thinking "A" or "Bb".
(i know that different music is written in different keys, but it could be that there where a common key, or at least one key that fits the most.)
I would like to examine things first this time, because my wife complains every time i buy a new harmonica for 100 to 200 $.  :-*

I hope this makes sense, cause I'm from Denmark!  :P

keithfre:
If you're talking about jazz, it's often in 'flat keys': F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db (Body & Soul, with a bridge in D), as saxophones are tuned in Bb or Eb and the trumpet in Bb. There are also tunes in C and G, but the number falls off rapidly as the number of sharps increases. Common minor keys are Cm, Fm, Bbm, Gm, Dm, Am, Em.

My solution to the problem of all these keys is to play harmonicas in diminished tuning. That way all keys are equally easy/difficult!

Mike Hammer:
Hello Keith. (and thanks for the quick answer)  :D

I just read about Diminished Tuning on the net, but i think it  seems a bit drastic. (I'm just playing for fun)
but maybe i Will try i some day. I have a worn out, Hohner C Chrometta 14 i can experiment on..
If i should buy an allround key harmonica, which one would you suggest. as i wrote i have harps in C,D,G
I play everything from jazz, popular, evergreens, classic music etc...

keithfre:

--- Quote from: Mike Hammer on April 25, 2012, 06:43:31 AM ---If i should buy an allround key harmonica, which one would you suggest. as i wrote i have harps in C,D,G
I play everything from jazz, popular, evergreens, classic music etc...

--- End quote ---
I have no idea, Mike, other than to suggest that you stick with C. Otherwise you're trying to hit a moving target all the time!

I do have a few diminished harmonicas for sale here:
http://www.slidemeister.com/forums/index.php?topic=5061.0

Grizzly:
Let me think out loud for a minute. If you learn two keys on each harmonica, it broadens what you can do and reduces the number of harmonicas you need. I'm recommending learning the scale out of hole 2 draw on a 12 hole.

A C harmonica gives you C and F; your G gives you G and C; your D gives you D and G. That gives you some redundancy.

So additional keys could be Bb (Eb), E (A). That would give you every major key Except Ab (which isn't made) and B (which is): C, D, Eb, E, F, G, A, Bb.

Start the pattern for G with the slide in, you get Ab. C slide in is Db. Bb slide in is B. F slide in is Gb (F#).

How many harmonicas is that? C/F, D/G, Bb/Eb, E/A. Four. Slide in at hole 1 gives you all the rest. You already have C and D; the G is a bonus. Two more, a Bb and an E, and you've got all the keys covered.

Why hole 2? I found it was the easiest to learn after the home key.

Hope this makes sense.

Tom

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