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playing harmonica with guitar


e021708

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What is the basic rule for choosing the correct key harmonica to play along with the guitar? I'm sure there are complicated ways to approach it. I just want the basic folk approach. It seems I read that you choose a few steps up from the guitar key. I want to explore my bob dylan side a bit.:cool: thanks

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in the most simplistic sense you have two choices. straight folk probably means you're playing the diatonic harmonica (most commonly found type) of the key of the music you're playing in. in other words, if for example, you have a harmonica labelled "G," with that "G harmonica," you're getting the major scale notes of the key you're in--"G". the thing with this is that your "exhale" notes are the root chord notes for the most part. also of note, inasmuch as you are restricted to the notes of the key your song is in, you can't really "screw up."

alternatively you could play in cross harp. in this, you're using the key of harp that is the fifth of the key you have. so an E harmonica would be useful for playing cross harp in B, A would be used to E, C for G, etc. the distinction is that your seventh note will be flatted -- with a harmonica labelled "C" you get these notes--

C D E F G A B which is the scale if you're playing cross harp in G, so your F is the non-flatted F of the C scale. but you can bend it if necessary. in this case, the "inhale" notes are your root chord notes.

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