Use of key in accompaniment study 2
Hi David, I'm sorry to bother you with this as I suspect you have answered it before but I haven't been able to find an answer yet:
The exercises for that study are all demonstrated for the C harmonica in 2nd position (with the root as G) as far as I can tell, and you say that it is important to learn where all the notes are on that diagram of the C harmonica, but then we come to play and use the A harmonica in 2nd position (with the root being E). The song itself ('I want you with me') says that it is in E at the top but then the first note is the 3 blow tabled as a G - if we are using an A harmonica in 2nd position wouldn't the 3 blow/2 draw be an E?
Sorry if I'm losing the plot! Thank you again for your excellent teaching,
Will
Ok: I've done a bit of theory (all classical music) before, and although I've forgotten most of it I was remembering just enough to confuse me!
So we can think in C for all songs and then just adjust which harmonica we pick up based on the actual key we're playing in?
You got it. Let me change your statement a little... "So we can think ON a C HARMONICA for all songs and then just adjust which harmonica we pick up based on the actual key we're playing in."
Good morning Will. All of my material is written in what's known as C Score. You play, and think, as if you're always playing a C Harmonica. So in this case, the C Harmonica played in 2nd Position, which puts you in the key of G for notation. Since each harmonica is a carbon copy of the other, just higher or lower, this is an efficient way to think. The alternative is to memorize twelve keys and their chords, so I opted for my students to think really well in one key (which is still asking too much of some students... they don't like theory ;-)