harpcrab
22 posts
Sep 25, 2009
5:46 AM
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I currently have harmonicas in 7 different keys. As I was accumulating them I would organize them in my case in their order of pitch, highest to lowest- ie- F, Eb, D, C Bb, A and G. My reasoning was that, when trying to find the correct harp to play with a song, I could hear if I was too low or too high and more easily find the right one. It occured to me pretty quickly that more often than not the root note of the song was an octave lower or higher than my harp, so that really doesn't help.
A musician friend of mine says I should organize them alphabetically. He reads music (sax and piano player) so I guess he figures "just look at the music sheet and get the correct one". In the few band jams I have attended I have yet to see a music sheet, and I wouldn't be able to read it anyway.
Another thought is to arrainge them alphabetically according to the notes in 2nd position. Might make some sense until I start playing other positions.
Then part of me says "just throw them in the case... the song's half over till you find the right one anyway". It is nice to know where each one is in the dark if someone should mention what key a song is in.
So.... anyone have a logical order to organize your harmonicas in your case? Am I missing something, or does it just not matter?
thanks-
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MrVerylongusername
528 posts
Sep 25, 2009
6:14 AM
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I order them the same as the circle of fifths. Helps work out different positions quickly.
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toddlgreene
16 posts
Sep 25, 2009
6:20 AM
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I do the alphabetical thing, at least for storage. This also helps if I'm playing a gig and the stage or wherever I set my harp case is dimly lit. Although I've never taken the time to actually learn Braille, I have thought of putting a Braille label for keys plus sharps, flats and hi or low on my harps-I've played gigs where I found myself relegated to almost complete darkness between songs, when I'd be reaching for my next harp!
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I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2009 6:21 AM
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walterharp
66 posts
Sep 25, 2009
6:59 AM
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circle of 5ths, helps zoom in on key faster than pitch, I can quickly tell if I pick one up and am in 1,2 or 3rd position. If my theory was stronger, could do it from any specific harp, but for now that is how it is most simple for me.
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toddlgreene
17 posts
Sep 25, 2009
7:04 AM
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I'd say the circle of 5ths is a great idea if you primarily play 2nd position. I jump from 2nd to 3rd to 4th sometimes, so I have to stick with alpha and just know where to go! Most importantly-mark them clearly in whatever method makes the most sense to you.
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I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
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MrVerylongusername
529 posts
Sep 25, 2009
7:20 AM
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The circle of fifths will help you find the harp for any position! It goes so much further than just which key for cross harp. 12th position? easy just count 12 anticlockwise from your starting point. How many sharps in D major - easy - just count how many steps clockwise from c. I could go on... I think if you learn one bit of theory, Co5ths is the one.
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congaron
148 posts
Sep 25, 2009
7:26 AM
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Alphabetical with big letters stuck on the end that shows in my case. Primary harp on the left side, spares on the right. The foam cutouts are removable so they fit on my horizontal music stand with harps sticking up.
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2009 7:27 AM
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RyanMortos
330 posts
Sep 25, 2009
8:32 AM
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I put all my harmonicas in eyesight & just make sure I can see the key.
Id like to get a case for my harps one day & probably then Ill organize Circle of Fiths wise.
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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GermanHarpist
623 posts
Sep 25, 2009
8:35 AM
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Lowest to highest, from left to right.
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germanharpist on YT.
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toddlgreene
18 posts
Sep 25, 2009
8:48 AM
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@ MrVLUN...great suggestion, and I'm quite familiar with the circle of 5ths, but depending on the show and how much libation is consumed, I don't wanna count twelve clockwise, much less 'anticlockwise'...haha
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I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it.
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MJ
53 posts
Sep 25, 2009
9:10 AM
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I mark my harps with a Sharpie pen on the case, A/e, first and 2nd position. I cover it with a piece of clear tape so as not to rub it off while playing. This way I can quickly see the harp I want, even in dimly lit venues. And I might add, without having to put on my glasses. It works for me.
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nacoran
204 posts
Sep 25, 2009
9:46 AM
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I've been trying to put them in order by the circle of fifths, but usually they just end up back in order by pitch (alphabetically except for my G). If you organize them that way and you find a harp that almost sounds right with what your playing you only have to find the ones on either side to find the right harp and if you are off by more than a step you can still tell which way you need to go through the circle, kind of like an optometrist, 1 or 2, 2 or 3, 3 or 4, etc.
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KingoBad
97 posts
Sep 25, 2009
10:05 AM
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I keep my harps out of their cases in my Mojo bag. I cast them out on the floor and pick the one closest to the center and also face up. That is the Mojo harp and the only one I will play on. All other harps moving from the center out have worse and worse Mojo. Don't pick any that are face down, that Mojo is workin' in reverse.
If one slides across the floor further than 3 feet from the spot where I threw them down - that is a Killin' Harp and has no business in MY Mojo bag again until it spends some time being sanctified in front of a speaker cranking some good 'ole blues and gets some whisky sprinkled on it from a bottle with an unbroken seal.
Then I pretty much organize them from lowest to highest, left to right.
Last Edited by on Sep 25, 2009 10:07 AM
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Jim Rumbaugh
89 posts
Sep 25, 2009
10:28 AM
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I wear a Honer belt that holds 6 harps
from right A Bflat C D F G to left
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Shredder
1 post
Sep 25, 2009
11:57 AM
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Hey, new to the board. 1st post
I have a Hohner case and start with A in the top Left cornner and work my way around from Left to right. Extras and minor keys go on the right big compartment. I use a testors White model paint pen to mark the keys on the back side. They are marked so as when I reach with my Right hand and bring the harp to the mic it's orented properly to play. I play Golden Melodies so the key letters are located closest to me. The Red combs really make the White letters stand out in dimly lit joints. I just had a thought, I wonder if there is a glow in the dark paint pen?
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gene
252 posts
Sep 25, 2009
5:08 PM
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I used to arrange them like the Co 5ths, but found out it's easier to find them when they're in alphabetical order.
I have the Co 5ths on the wall.
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BillBailey
15 posts
Sep 25, 2009
5:10 PM
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The clean ones on top...
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scstrickland
256 posts
Sep 25, 2009
8:09 PM
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I put some in my pocket. Some on the dash of my truck. Others on my coffee table. Others live on the kitchen counter. I almost never keep them in the leather Buckeye cases my wife bought for me. If I can't find the right Key, I just yell upstairs "Honey! Have you seen my ___ Harp?"
I think I'm a tad bit ADHD
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jawbone
92 posts
Sep 25, 2009
8:14 PM
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My case holds 18 harps (two banks of 9)so I arrange them alphabetically with the flats and F# on the right bank. The naturals down the left bank. Two C's side by side, Low F under the F and a spare A on the right bottom.
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Last Edited by on Sep 27, 2009 6:59 AM
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nineveh_harp
1 post
Sep 26, 2009
10:31 AM
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I arrange mine in a Hohner 12-harp case (2 banks of 6) alphabetically, starting with standard G on the bottom left and moving up in key, with a spare C (in a leather case) and some tuning tools in the upper space (normally reserved for a chromatic) as follows:
-Upper space-
C (spare)
-Right row (bottom to top)-
C-LD-D-E-Em-F
-Left row (bottom to top)-
G-Ab-A-A(valved)-Am(harmonic)-Bb
Those are the harps I play most often. I do it that way because, for me, it just makes sense to start from the bottom with low keys and move to the top with the alternate tunings @ the top of the key that they're in. Plus, this way I can feel for the right one in the dark if I need to since I can't always see the glow-in-the-dark marker, due to certain lighting situations!
I also have a seven-harp case where I keep the less common keys and some spares in a similar arrangement just in case (low to high from bottom):
G-A-B-C-D-Eb-F#
I should also add that I sometimes go to open mics or frieds' shows, unsure of whether or not I'll be playing. In that case, I have a Hohner 6-harp belt arranged low to high from my left like this:
G-Ab-A-Bb-C-D
On a normal gig, I will load up the belt with spares in case of an emergency, but I don't play too hard so that doesn't happen very often! Still, I NEVER gig w/out spare harps and guitar strings!
Sorry for the long post! Hope it helps!
Last Edited by on Sep 26, 2009 10:56 AM
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
248 posts
Sep 27, 2009
3:45 PM
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I've got my diatonics in one of those Rupert Oysler non signature cases from Seydel. They are arranged in pockets like piano keys.
But I'm phasing out diatonics and playing more and more and more chromatics. I made a case for those out of a couple of Bible cases. Ultimately, I've got this mandolin case a guy made for me that had this extra room I could put harps in. I'm gonna gut it out and make a place for my 48 chord chord to sit, then places for diatonics and chromatics. If I ever get round to it.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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mojojojo
23 posts
Sep 28, 2009
6:19 AM
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well at home they're in one of those hardware store organizer drawers for nails and screws and what not. Nice little plastic cabinet for 12 harps, labeled with little stickers from G (low) to F.
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
252 posts
Sep 28, 2009
2:26 PM
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This thread got me to thinking, I'm gonna have to have some way to sort out the chromatics and get to them quick when I put aside the 48 chord to take a break.
I dug up my old 17th Virginia Cavalry reenacting vest. It's brown wool on the front, white cotton on the back, pretty nice vest, really. I had some really nice and fancy cloth laying around, so I'm sewing me some pockets in it.
I'm turning to that vest for classiness-looking, the other option I considered was my flyfishing vest, it looks kind of cool, I've a lot of nice patches on it and whatnot, but the wool/cotton vest looks a lot dressier.
Those flyfishing vests though would be a good way to carry harps at a gig. They have about 50 million pockets.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
255 posts
Sep 28, 2009
8:23 PM
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I'm still recovering from the pneumonia, so I've been keeping still... spent the day sewing on that vest. It's turning out pretty awesome. I'm gonna wind up with space for about six or seven chromatics and a set of diatonics, prolly.
Charlie McCoy has something like that, only his vest is leather.
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www.elkriverharmonicas.com
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GermanHarpist
636 posts
Sep 29, 2009
12:10 AM
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Dave, post some picutres once your done. We're all curious how your "pretty nice vest" is gonna turn into a super awesome harp outfit...
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germanharpist on YT.
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bluedogg
20 posts
Sep 29, 2009
11:15 AM
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i arrange mine for a gig in order of use. although after a few songs i repeat keys and all bets are off.
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HarpNinja
4 posts
Sep 29, 2009
7:32 PM
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I use the circle of fifths starting with C. That way I just count from the key of the song to find a harp based on the position I want to play. It also lets me count positions for the key changes.
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Mike Fugazzi
http://www.myspace.com/niterailband
http://www.youtube.com/user/NiteRail
http://www.twitter.com/NiteRail
http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi
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