Re: [Harp-L] Georgia - Which Harp?




On Sep 1, 2005, at 2:48 PM, CHARLES BASSI wrote:


You need a harp with "5 draw raised a half-step
(ie, Lee Oskar Melody Maker, Special 20 Country Tuned, or do it yourself)
to play it in crossharp. You could also play it in first postion, or use a chromatic.

I buy only stock harps, and file them myself (gently) with emory boards.

That said, on Willie Nelson's Stardust album, Mickey Rafael
played a solo on Georgia on a regular diatonic in cross harp
- but he avoided (because it wasn't available to him) the note which is
raised draw on #5 (F# in the key of G - the major 7th).

That note is VERY important and is probably the MOST important in the song. To avoid it, shows ...well, to be truthful, 'I' couldn't do that.

I suppose you could overblow this note - or play a solo which doesn't follow the melody exactly.

Overblowing this note is not authentic, as it is better to start 'slightly' UNDER the sharp with a bend on the 5th reed almost back to it's original natural and gradually slur UP and bring the note into the sharp.

And I'm sure some other harpers out there have other positions they play Georgia in.

I believe Ray Charles' version is in G, by the way.

That's true, but it was originally written in F. To play it in G switch to a C harp and as I said earlier, with the 5th draw raised the 1/2 tone to a sharp. I sing it and play it in G (spah 2002) but most bands will look at you questioningly if you do.


smokey-joe & the Cafe s


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