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Forums :: Ask Instructor David Barrett

Use of key in accompaniment study 2

3 replies [Last post]
Thu, 08/28/2014 - 06:23
wowen
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Joined: 08/15/2014

Hi David, I'm sorry to bother you with this as I suspect you have answered it before but I haven't been able to find an answer yet:

The exercises for that study are all demonstrated for the C harmonica in 2nd position (with the root as G) as far as I can tell, and you say that it is important to learn where all the notes are on that diagram of the C harmonica, but then we come to play and use the A harmonica in 2nd position (with the root being E). The song itself ('I want you with me') says that it is in E at the top but then the first note is the 3 blow tabled as a G  - if we are using an A harmonica in 2nd position wouldn't the 3 blow/2 draw be an E?

Sorry if I'm losing the plot! Thank you again for your excellent teaching,

Will

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Thu, 08/28/2014 - 07:04
#1
David Barrett
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Joined: 12/20/2009
Answer

Good morning Will. All of my material is written in what's known as C Score. You play, and think, as if you're always playing a C Harmonica. So in this case, the C Harmonica played in 2nd Position, which puts you in the key of G for notation. Since each harmonica is a carbon copy of the other, just higher or lower, this is an efficient way to think. The alternative is to memorize twelve keys and their chords, so I opted for my students to think really well in one key (which is still asking too much of some students... they don't like theory ;-)

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Thu, 08/28/2014 - 14:00
#2
wowen
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Ok: I've done a bit of theory

Ok: I've done a bit of theory (all classical music) before, and although I've forgotten most of it I was remembering just enough to confuse me!

So we can think in C for all songs and then just adjust which harmonica we pick up based on the actual key we're playing in?

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Thu, 08/28/2014 - 16:39
#3
David Barrett
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Answer

You got it. Let me change your statement a little... "So we can think ON a C HARMONICA for all songs and then just adjust which harmonica we pick up based on the actual key we're playing in."

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