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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Circle of Fifths
Circle of Fifths
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Andrew
735 posts
Nov 08, 2009
3:59 PM
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People often ask this, and I never see a good answer. I myself have given poor answers. I try to employ the keyboard to demonstrate it, but I doubt if that's good enough unless you can play keyboards. So just write down or memorise this sequence: -
CGDAEBF#DbAbEbBbFCGDAEBF#DbAbEbBbFC
(it's the same sequence of 12 keys repeated, so that you can start anywhere in the first half and not go off the end. It's easier than drawing circles, but if you want to do one for yourself on card, 12 divides into 360 degrees neatly, so it's not difficult to make your own)
You want to know what position Bb is on a C harp? Count up from C. You should get to 11, and that's what position it is. A on a Db harp? Count up from Db - 9th position.
What's 7th position on an A harp? Count 1 for A, and 7 takes you to Eb.
Does that help?
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Kinda hot in these rhinos!
Last Edited by on Nov 08, 2009 4:00 PM
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GermanHarpist
683 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:15 PM
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The thread should rather be called "Finding Positions" or something, but I get what you mean. Yup, that's helpful!
And a shameless plug to my Position-Scale-Chart. It helps to figure out any scale in any position (on all tunings)... and all you need is a printer and transparent slides.
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germanharpist on YT. = ;-)
Last Edited by on Nov 08, 2009 4:15 PM
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GermanHarpist
684 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:29 PM
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Btw. there's another guy in Germany that made a program which is pretty much equivalent to the chart. It s the Scale Tabulature Generator by Andreas Gräfe.
Check it out it's really practical and easy to use.
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germanharpist on YT. = ;-)
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Shredder
38 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:36 PM
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this question relates to this topic.
I play cross harp, I was given a musical score on CD and ask to come up with a harmonica lead to it. I'm sure the score is in C minor.
What harp should I play. I went thru all my harps and Bb is the one that has the most usable notes. I'm unsure what position it is though?
I'm not well versed in any position above 2nd. I have played in other positions but the cross harp thing confuses me as what position/key to play.
Mike
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GermanHarpist
685 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:38 PM
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To play C min on a Bb harp would be third position. Which, in my opinion is the easiest position for minor tunes.
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germanharpist on YT. = ;-)
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RyanMortos
450 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:41 PM
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Yeah, that's cool. Mind if I add to your thoughts Andrew?
This is probably lame old news to someone that's studied theory but I stumbled on this on accident while working the graveyard shift a few months ago!!
Okay check this out, chromatic scale:
C/C#-Db/D/D#=Eb/E/F/F#=Gb/G/G#=Ab/A/A#=Bb/B (/C)
C - Do
D - Re
E - Mi
F - Fa
G - Sol
A - La
B - Ti
C - Do
Anyway you grab a harp, zomg it's a C and all you know is that the 2 draw is a G. What is the blues scale? What is the major scale? I thought this was cool...
To find blues scale start on that note on the chromatic scale & do the following (where * means that's the next note and S means skip that one):
*SS*S***SS*S*
So what do you get for the G blues scale?
That's right! G, Bb, C, Db, D, F, G
(mmhmm, 2d, 3d', 4b, 4d', 4d, 5d, 6b on a C harp!)
Okay slightly different pattern for major scale:
*S*S**S*S*S**
G, A, B, C, D, E, F#, G
Using those two patterns we can find the blues scale or major scale for any starting note.
Though I guess for that to be useful you'd have to memorize the patterns, memorize the chromatic scale, and memorize what all the notes are on all your harmonicas, LOL!
So with the circle of fifths we can find the note for any position and with patterns (I shared the major and blues but I bet there's a minor pattern?) we can find the notes required for the scales. What I want to know is how the heck do I memorize all this or make use of it to tattoo it on my brain??
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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Shredder
39 posts
Nov 08, 2009
4:54 PM
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G/H, Thanks for the confermation. I'm one of those players that dosen't know all the theory, I wish I did. I'm just able to play the things,done't ask me why or how it just happens. Just goes to show you miracles never cease.
Mike
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barbequebob
61 posts
Nov 09, 2009
7:24 AM
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More harp players really need to know theory and get their time, rhythm and sense of groove straight. Once you begin to learn these things, you are more easily able to work your way out of a mistake, and even hide them as a passing tone.
Scales are basically note patterns and once you memorize the basic patterns, everything falls into place.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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