A "cross Row" Aha Moment

[David Colpitts]

Hello, all.

 

By way of confession, I have been stubbornly avoiding playing my Anglos in any other way than straight up and down, along the rows in home keys. They have been "pairs of harmonicas" and even then, just "first position." Makes me a kind of dead-end for normal workshops/lessons, and a virtual certainty that I'll be adequate, at best. HOWEVER.....

I was watching a YouTube of Joys of Quebec, getting ready for the French jam in Bristol, CT, and trying to figure out the key. I struggled, but then found the notes, and got out my tuner app to find out what key I was in. Lo and behold...I had found "second position" (at least, I think that's what harmonica players call it) which started on the draw, and otherwise only required one deviation from the row, et voila...a different key, but with the right notes. I play a G/D, so the D row seems to give me key of A, and the G row, the key of D, but in a nicer (lower) octave. Or maybe that's backwards........?

 

Small patates, je sais, but quite an eye-opener for me. New look forwards in my practice.

 

Thanks for the wonderful site; information and support are priceless.

 

Regards,

 

David

[Ken_Coles]

We knew you'd discover it one day, David!

 

Ken

[geoffwright]

Providing you want to play tunes rather than too many chords,
Have you had a go at the 4 button trick used by irish players (usually c/g)?

 

up the LHG row

DE (LHG) F#G (RHG)

AB (LHD) C#D (RHD)

then up the RHD row

 

the beauty of this is the ornaments & grace notes are under the fingers

[David Colpitts]

No, I haven't, yet. I am splitting time among the Hayden, the G/D anglo, and my Dad's ancient tenor banjo. I will have a go, Geoff, at what you suggest. I've been putting it off for four years......

Thanks.

 

David