Jump to content

How many keys ~ on an Anglo?


Recommended Posts

Well, I feel pretty good on my 30 key to play in the following.

C, D, G, A major.

d,e, a, b, g minor.

E Major if I really think about it, and on a Jeffries layout. Edel Fox taught us a Paddy Fahy jig in E a few years back at Crotty.

F Major sounds good, but I tend to just learn the tune in G and play on my Bb/ F Suttner.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I'd like to think I play in C:Ionian, D:Dorian, E:Phrygian, F:Lydian, G:Mixolydian, A:Aeolian, and B:Locrian! :D

(and that's before I get onto the G row!)

 

With great respect to all the much better players than I who will reply to this excellent question, I think it might be helpful if it is partly taken as meaning "what major keys, (including their related minors and modes,) do you play in?"

Tom

 

Edited for clarity.

Edited by TomB-R
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Certain assumptions here Dick:

1. Educated I assume refers here to Anglo technique and not to advanced university degrees. Thuswell educated Anglo players is probably an oxymoron.

2. Keys used comfortably? About five. But I would use 28 buttons regularly- or often enough so I'd miss two if they weren't there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I'd like to think I play in C:Ionian, D:Dorian, E:Phrygian, F:Lydian, G:Mixolydian, A:Aeolian, and B:Locrian! :D

(and that's before I get onto the G row!)

 

 

well said,

 

the modes are often forgotten and are very important in certain styles of music. I believe some irish tunes for "D" are actaully "D dorian" and not "D major".

 

Also, the anglo layout is very similiar to the Richter tunign used on Harmonicas, I would think this would lend the Anglo to "Cross Playing", famalir to blues harp players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool! Paddy Richter tuning looks great. I have never tried to play any tunes on a harmonica since my childhood, but bought a chromatic in G a few years ago. I was hoping to pick up a Paddy Richter tuned in D to learn on. I know Bill Crossland plays harmonica, but how many other anglo players play harmonica?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I'd like to think I play in C:Ionian, D:Dorian, E:Phrygian, F:Lydian, G:Mixolydian, A:Aeolian, and B:Locrian! :D

(and that's before I get onto the G row!)

 

With great respect to all the much better players than I who will reply to this excellent question, I think it might be helpful if it is partly taken as meaning "what major keys, (including their related minors and modes,) do you play in?"

Regarding "it might be helpful":

I have the impression that there's an implicit assumption here that one is playing only a melody line. If you start adding chords -- "English style", as some call it -- the different modes sharing a given key signature are
not
of equal simplicity/difficulty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

F major is easier than one might think, the 4th tone of the scale is rarely a stressed note. The other nice thing in my opinion is that the pulled notes can be emphasized on an anglo. My preference for playing in F, or G minor involves using the pull A on the G row, instead of the one available on the C row. There are also chances to use the push a, in g minor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I'd like to think I play in C:Ionian, D:Dorian, E:Phrygian, F:Lydian, G:Mixolydian, A:Aeolian, and B:Locrian! :D

(and that's before I get onto the G row!)

 

With great respect to all the much better players than I who will reply to this excellent question, I think it might be helpful if it is partly taken as meaning "what major keys, (including their related minors and modes,) do you play in?"

Regarding "it might be helpful":

I have the impression that there's an implicit assumption here that one is playing only a melody line. If you start adding chords -- "English style", as some call it -- the different modes sharing a given key signature are
not
of equal simplicity/difficulty.

 

Fair point Sir!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how many other anglo players play harmonica?

 

Well, I do and I don't.

 

As a child, I played my father's old Hohner C/G Echo Harp. When I got a 20-button C/G Anglo, and found I could modulate from C to G and back again without flipping it over, and could sing while playing it, I never touched the harmonica again.

 

For me, the harmonica was just a stepping-stone to the Anglo.

 

Cheers,

John

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...how many other anglo players play harmonica?

 

I'd say I'm an advanced beginner on Anglo, having started less than a year ago, but have played harmonica since I was a boy (I guess for over 40 years now) and am considered pretty good. As I respond to this question, I realize that I've hardly touched my harps since taking up concertina.

 

The push-pull anglo fingering system in the home rows made immediate sense to me because of the blow-suck harmonica experience. It would be interesting now that I have been playing a 30 button anglo, and making some use of the third row, and playing in some keys outside the home rows, to try playing a "chromatic" harmonica (with a little slide-button to add sharps and flats) again. I tried about 20 years ago, and couldn't make sense of it.

 

BTW, the ability to sing and play at the same time is not counted as an advantage in my case! Singing while playing harmonica can create a nice sci-fi effect however.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well, currently the biggies for me are C, G, D, A, and all their relative minors. these are all automatic, without any second thought. i agree with lawrence... i think i play things in F without realizing it, and reaching for an odd Bb now and then is pretty second nature.

 

my other best scales are Bb and Eb. i am working on a couple tunes in both and feel pretty comfortable, though they need a lot of work.

 

beyond that it's hard to say. i've been working on some tunes by ear that have all sorts of weird notes in them, so it's hard to tell what scales they are in or if they have accidentals.

 

i have worked out all the scales as i like them in all 12 keys, and i HAVE played devanney's goat in all 12 keys, but i have only done this a few times.

 

i am also working on my chromatic scale. i have a fingering i really like, but i want to get it up to speed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...