[Harp-L] Chromatics and keys



Hi All,

Phil, very realistically, wrote:

In theory, we should all learn to play in all 12 keys -- especially  on
the
chromatic where we don't have to worry about bends and overblows.  But
most of
us  don't have that kind of time.

To which Robert B. replied


As I have taught many people to play chromatic, I disagree highly.   If
you don't try to bite off more than you can chew, you could  practice one
scale, AND ONLY ONE SCALE, for a whole week with it's  arpeggio and in 24
weeks you would know all major and minor scales.

I think Robert B. has a great point here. When I started learning scales on the clarinet, this is the way they were taught. The process was repeated, essentially, over and over again through a period of years until the scales and arpeggios became second nature. I learned to play the chromatic by repeating my clarinet studies and I find it relatively to play in "all keys" -although there are some I prefer more than others ;-).

I don't really like to play in C - for jazz imporvosation - because the
breath changes are demanding.  I prefer the flat keys - F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db, &
Gb and their related minors to the sharp ones (all though B [Cb] is also
good).  One of the main reasons is that these keys all have both F natural
and C natural in them so I have plenty of choices between blow and draw
notes.  Another reason is that the cast majority of Jazz tunes are in flat
keys and I have become more efficient with them as a result.  Another reason
is that, with the exception of Eb they all have draw thirds on the third of
the major chord (minor 5th).  There are a lot of little things I like about
the flat keys for improvisation, but I actually read sharp keys better than
flat ;-).  That's because when I was taught my major scales, we went through
the sharp ones first!

Robert B. goes on to say

the chromatic is no piano, the  harmonica can crescendo, have vibrato,
change tonal colors, bend  notes and do all kinds of things the piano
can't.  It CAN play it all  the keys and depending on the piece, very odd
keys may lie better  with a certain piece than others, well, just like the
piano.

As Winslow already astutely pointed out, a key like B Major might  have
some really cool advantages for a certain piece, like playing  the 2nd and
the 7th, B and A together.

I want to add to that statement that, aside from playing single note lines in all keys, the traditional chromatic tuning allows you to play 2 part harmony (double stops) in all keys as well. I will concede here that the flat keys are the best - specifically because to the choices between blow/draw F/C. E major (C# minor) and A major (F# minor) seem to have the fewest 2 part harmony choices while the keys around them are much better. Still, double stops on the chromatic have yet to be fully explored and there are some cool sounds out there to discover. "Chords" (three notes or more together) are harder to find and less subtle than double stops.

Michael






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