With a A7 open chord tuning on my cbg, what harmonica can I play....and if it is the key of A haromonica, can I blow in and out? Playing cross harp? I just did a couple of songs and my harmonica was in the key of A.....It sounded pretty good with just one of the strings on my cbg, but I really don't know how I pulled it off more than that. So now, I have swaped out my eye bolt tuners for real tuners,and now I have the strings A, D, G on my cbg, so I am ready to stop breaking too many rules and do things right with tunings since now I have my harmonica thrown in the mix. Why A7 tuning you ask, I can not get my G string to tun to a solid A, so I tuned to the A7 open chord. It sounds good, and I like it, but now I am not sure what harp to play.
You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!
I've been teaching myself blues harp for a little while so I'm still a babe in the woods, but I've gleaned lots of good structure using the "circle of 5ths" chart. You can find it on the web at lots of sites. It might help too?
'Second Postion' or 'Cross-Harp' indicates the key that follows the first or starting key in the Circle of Fifths, raised by a fifth. If one takes a Diatonic Harmonica in C the key in 'Second Position' will be G. You have 5 fingers just count up.
Blues scale second position: 2D 3D' 4B 4D' 4D 5D 6B The 2 draw is the tonic and a G note in this case as I am referencing a C harp as in the above text. Starting to get it?
So if you want to play an A harp the band would play in E or in your case tune your guitar to an open E. That would be E B E and with a fourth string attached G#. This of coarse starting with the fat string at the top. I am no guitar player but thanks to Keni I am learning. I do however play harp.
If you play in the minor you can play the harp in third position. Third position uses a harmonica one tone lower than the song key, for example, a G harmonica for songs in A starting with the 4 hole draw as your tonic or the 1 hole but you have to have good tone on your bends for this. This is real sad bluesy stuff and sounds real good. I assume you have mastered the bends and all. Try it. It is fun and if you have any problems give me a shout and I will see if I can answer your questions. I do however agree with Bluesheart. Second position is a lot funner as there is nothing better than a good shuffle or boogie woogie.
Well, I'm a harp player but you lost me on that one. Cross or straight harp both use draw and blow notes, has more to do with the key of the harp (same as the song for straight) and hence which notes are blow or draw. I think you would use a D harp for a blues in A7, but I'm not sure. You would for blues in A. Check out Lee Oskar harp, they make some unusual Minor and other tunings. If you are new to harp and or playing guitar and harp at the same time, I would say that cross or blues harp style will be much easier to learn/more fun. An easy way to know what harp to use for blues is to use your fingers. Song key on index, (A) count keys till you get to your pinky (D) ,so you play D harp for blues in A. Hope this helps.
Replies
'Second Postion' or 'Cross-Harp' indicates the key that follows the first or starting key in the Circle of Fifths, raised by a fifth. If one takes a Diatonic Harmonica in C the key in 'Second Position' will be G. You have 5 fingers just count up.
Blues scale second position: 2D 3D' 4B 4D' 4D 5D 6B The 2 draw is the tonic and a G note in this case as I am referencing a C harp as in the above text. Starting to get it?
So if you want to play an A harp the band would play in E or in your case tune your guitar to an open E. That would be E B E and with a fourth string attached G#. This of coarse starting with the fat string at the top. I am no guitar player but thanks to Keni I am learning. I do however play harp.
If you play in the minor you can play the harp in third position. Third position uses a harmonica one tone lower than the song key, for example, a G harmonica for songs in A starting with the 4 hole draw as your tonic or the 1 hole but you have to have good tone on your bends for this. This is real sad bluesy stuff and sounds real good. I assume you have mastered the bends and all. Try it. It is fun and if you have any problems give me a shout and I will see if I can answer your questions. I do however agree with Bluesheart. Second position is a lot funner as there is nothing better than a good shuffle or boogie woogie.
Third positions: 4D 5D 6B 6D' 6D 7B 8D 9D 9B 10D 10B
Oh and here is a good online tuner bro - http://www.howtotuneaguitar.org/ It has all the tunings a guy would ever think about using.
-Bruce
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/13-keys?context=user
To play cross harp, play a harp in the key of the 4th tone:
Example: Guitar key of G...Harmonica key of C
Enjoy.