[Harp-L] Reading Music, Different Key Harps (was "Re: A couple questions from a beginner")



Elizabeth,

I'm not a professional, I'm self taught, have no formal music training and I don't sight read, although I can make sense of sheet music if given a little time to look at it.

When i've had to work from a chart, I get the sheet music ahead of time. I determine what key the music is in (from the key signature) and then i convert each note to the corresponding degree of the scale (1, flat 3, 5, flat 7, etc.) and i write that above each note. Then i select a position that gives me a mode where i can play those notes on that harmonica using the available bends as necessary (i don't OB). Sometimes i need to use more than one harmonica for different parts of a particular tune.

So...thinking in terms of how the notes on the staff correspond to the degrees of the scale is how I do it. This is also how i learn different positions (by figuring out which hole of the harmonica corresponds to which degree of the scale in which position). If, for some reason, i want to transpose (change keys), i just change which harmonica i use, but I play it in the same position as I was using to play in the key in which the music is written.

I'm sure this is not what they teach a Juilliard or Berklee, but it works for me.

FWIW,

JP




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