LOA 3 Accompaniment study 3 question
I totally understand how to get the I, IV, and V chord for the key of G. And I understand building the chords using triads. I also understand that once I have the blow and draw holes figured out it's the same on any harp of any key.
So I'm using the C harp as reference but I'm practicing with my A harp. As I play the notes I'm trying in my head to say this is a D the 5th of the I chord, and this is a C the root of the IV chord. But since I'm on my A harp I'm really playing a B and an A in the key of E. It's very confusing. Help! I don't know if I'm doing this or understanding this correctly.
I don't think you explained this to Hob or Sharon...did you go over it with Ryan?
Thanks,
-Joe
OK. I think it's weird but I'll get over it. ;) That means if I ask someone else what note they're playing they may just give me the scale degree and I'll need to transpose it in my head. Which, for me, takes just a couple seconds to count up the number of degrees from the root of the key. Thank you.
Exactly. They say, "5th" and you know that D is the 5th of G... you play 1, 4 or 8 draw. Done. You'll get very fast at it. It beats memorizing 12 keys/scales and 12 keys of harmonica!
Hello Joe. You have the correct thought process, well done. Ignore the fact that you're using another key of harmonica. Since each harmonica is intervalically the same, the theory you're learning works for all the harps. Down the road in your studies you'll learn more about scale degrees. Basically when it comes to communicating, you'll say "I'm playing the 5th," to another player and they'll know what that will mean for the key you're all playing in. So, the only time you need to know the note that you're playing is when you're speaking to another musician (if they ask what you're playing), but you can just say the scale degree and you're good (they'll transpose in their head for a given key).