congaron
92 posts
Aug 29, 2009
11:41 AM
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Last night the band I just joined got up for sound check. The lead guitarist says.."soul shine." This is a number i usually play conga and sing background vocals on. Since I need to check my valve junior and my vocal mic for harp, i ask the bass player what key, since this one isn't in the set and I never really knew what key it was in. In fact, I haven't played it in over 3 months. He says "B" so I grab my E harp for a quick sound check. Well, sound guy has a problem with my vocal channel..I am playing along hearing nothing over the blazing monitors and lead guitar that are nowhere near their final settings. Then, I get on my valve junior and I can hear it, but it seems odd and the notes are hard to find. It gets quiet for a second and i quickly draw on holes 1-4 and realize the song is in Bb...not B. SO I walk over to the bass player and say..Are you sure this is in B? He goes.."yep"...so I look at his fingers when he starts back in...fretless bass, BTW. He goes..."oops...Bb, sorry!" I grab my Eb harp on the way back over to my mic...trying not to laugh, but impossible not to smile. When sound check was over, I told him "important flat, huh?" We had a laugh. Live is so cool. Good gig BTW. I learned to never let the sound guy refuse to mic your cabinet, even in a small club. Last night the valve junior sounded fantastic, but needed to be mics for most of the set. I was forced to use the PA on the numbers where it was not up to adequate volume. Worked out okay.
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scstrickland
186 posts
Aug 29, 2009
2:39 PM
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Thanks congaron you answered a question that I had. I think. If I'm playind 2nd pos. on a Bb harp then the band should be in Fb? My wife (guitarist) says "no way go search for bigfoot!" I have a Gindick book says band is in F. BUT if the band is in Bb I should play crossharp on F. Right? WRONG!!! according to my book. Band Bb = harp in Fb. Now I'm really confused.
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Bluzdude46
133 posts
Aug 29, 2009
2:53 PM
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Band in Bb 2nd position is Eb If band is in F you use a Bb harp in 2nd. Band in C 2nd position on harp is F
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MrVerylongusername
471 posts
Aug 29, 2009
3:03 PM
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Fb is E (more or less)
There is only 1 semitone between E and F
Last Edited by on Aug 29, 2009 3:10 PM
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scstrickland
187 posts
Aug 29, 2009
3:10 PM
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Your right I misread the book. Should I ask why Bb band = Eb harp but
F band = Bb harp. you would think flat = flat but apparently not always.
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Scrapboss
11 posts
Aug 29, 2009
3:11 PM
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http://www.harmonicahonker.com/C45.gif
what ever key the band is playing in go counterclockwise on this circle of 5ths to the next key and you have your key for 2nd position.
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scstrickland
188 posts
Aug 29, 2009
3:16 PM
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Thanks Scrapboss very helpful, still like to understand why.
Sorry for Hijacking the thread.
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walterharp
36 posts
Aug 29, 2009
4:33 PM
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congaron, your soundman should make the rest of the band turn down maybe? at that volume it is not likely you guys can hear each other very well.
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