Slight panic - going to lack a high D

[eitreach]

I took the chromatic plunge and ordered myself af Jackie from The Music Room. A couple of days later, I remember that it has only 30 keys - well, it would have been alright, had it had 31, so the amount of keys isn't really the overall problem, it's simply the one key that I was thinking it had. The high D, I've seen it been called.

 

So, here's the thing.. I can always just play it in C, rather than D.. But I'd like to play along other people as well at some point, and I wouldn't know if's possible to ask them to play in the same key, because of my situation. I think I can live with playing in C (I better, anyhow) but would it be possible to have others play in that key as well?

 

The really sad thing is, that at the moment, it's simply because of one single tune - I can't think of others in where I need that D. Si Bheag, Si Mhor, in case I haven't mentioned it. I hadn't. Right.

 

Pardon the rambling. I hope I make myself understandable.

Edited July 8, 2009 by eitreach

[JimLucas]

The really sad thing is, that at the moment, it's simply because of one single tune - I can't think of others in where I need that D.

So what's the tune?

There have been other threads in the past about the more general problem of what one should do about a "missing" note. Playing in a different key is generally low on the list. Here are a couple you could try, while keeping to the original key:

• Play that note an octave lower.
  Whistle players often do the reverse. When a fiddle tune goes below their low D, they play the notes they don't have an octave higher.
  
• Play a nearby note that harmonizes with the missing one.
  If the note is a high D, then backup musicians (if there are any) will most likely be playing either a D chord or a G chord (depending on the surrounding notes in the melody). If it's a G chord, you would probably do well to play the B just below the missing D... or maybe the G below that. If it's a D chord, your best bet would be your high A.
  

Note that with either of these techniques you might want to change a few of the surrounding notes, to avoid a jarring effect. Then again, that might not be necessary.

 

If I know the tune, I could be more specific.

[eitreach]

Yeah, I realised there was missing something. The tune is Si Bheag, Si Mhor. My pardon.

[JimLucas]

...The high D...

 

...it's simply because of one single tune ... Si Bheag, Si Mhor...

Now I'm confused.

 

I've been playing Side Bheag, Sidhe Mhor "forever", in the key of D, and the highest note is a B, not D. That's the high B on the right hand side of the Jackie. The version in the tune database at thesession.org is the same.

 

If the way you play the tune does indeed have a (very) high D (above that high B ), I'd like to hear it. (Or see it written out, in standard notation or abc.) Then maybe I could suggest alternatives.

Edited July 9, 2009 by JimLucas

[eitreach]

...The high D...

 

...it's simply because of one single tune ... Si Bheag, Si Mhor...

Now I'm confused.

 

I've been playing Side Bheag, Sidhe Mhor "forever", in the key of D, and the highest note is a B, not D. That's the high B on the right hand side of the Jackie. The version in the tune database at thesession.org is the same.

 

If the way you play the tune does indeed have a (very) high D (above that high , I'd like to hear it. (Or see it written out, in standard notation or abc.) Then maybe I could suggest alternatives.

 

It appears that I'm an idiot. An idiot with poor eyesight, to my excuse.

 

Of course it's a B. Not a D. Reading music can be a hassle when one can't.. yeah. Excuses. Apologies for wasting your time, good sir.

Edited July 9, 2009 by eitreach

[JimLucas]

Excuses. Apologies for wasting your time, good sir.

We all make mistakes, just not always the same kind.

 

I just noticed that I -- a person who always proofreads before he posts -- put a "B" right before a closing parenthesis in my last post to you. So intead of it looking like "B )", as I wanted, it came out as the dark-glasses emoticon , which didn't make much sense. (I have now edited my post to fix that.)

 

But now you should have no excuse for not enjoying your concertina.

 

And eventually, you probably will run into a few tunes that have that high D. Then you can try my suggestions, or ask again for help.

Enjoy!