What key am I in?

[tiltrite]

I'm playing blues in dropped d tuning (DADGBe) while using the open DAD as a "root" chord, and playing lots of "F" and "G" notes on the low and hi d Strings and lots of "c" and "d" notes on the "a" string. What key does that put me in?

What would be a 4th above that key? I'm looking to get a blues harp and was told that you get one a 4th above the key I'm playing in.

sorry about my ignorance here, I guess it's time to start learning the basics of notes and keys etc... what's the best place to start there? Every time I open a theory book I am immediately lost.

 

[Kappy]

Just think of the same fret on the next string up on all the strings tuned to 4ths if you want to figure out what's a 4th up from some note. (In this case, G is the answer). Sounds like you're playing D minor b/c of the "F".

 

[tiltrite]

thanks for the info. So if I'm in Dminor, what key blues harp should I get (a 4th above Dminor is...?) or is that the 'G' you mentioned?

 

[Kappy]

Why not just get a chromatic harp? Anyway, dmin is the rel. min. of fmaj. I gave you the formula for figuring out a 4th above that.

You should ask someone who knows about harps to be sure though, I know some music theory, I don't know jack about harps (or which key harp you should buy to play in which key, etc.).

Good luck!

 

[tiltrite]

Why not just get a chromatic harp? Anyway, dmin is the rel. min. of fmaj. I gave you the formula for figuring out a 4th above that.

ummmm... is it B flat? (I'm thinking of the 'E' string 1st fret is 'F', and then jump down to the 'A' string 1st fret which is 'B' flat.)



BTW, those I asked have told me to get a harp that's a 4th above the key of the guitar.

 

[tiltrite]

help! :BOUNCE

 

[Kappy]

ummmm... is it B flat? (I'm thinking of the 'E' string 1st fret is 'F', and then jump down to the 'A' string 1st fret which is 'B' flat.)

Bingo! It's also called A# (because they are enharmonic equivalents, which is a fancy way of saying that it's the same as A#).

You might want to find a forum of harmonica players who can answer your question about which one to get for that tuning. I don't know what's good, but here's a google search to get you started.

 

[tiltrite]

Bingo!

whew.

thanks much, dkaplowitz. My 1st guitar lesson. not too painful (well, my brain did start to hurt just a little.) so much more to learn.

 

[nashvillesteve]

For blues harp, you need a harp that is a fifth above the key signature. So, if you're playing blues in "E," you'll need an "A" harp. For blues in "G," you'll need a "C" harp, blues in "B," you'll need an "E" harp, etc.

I'm not sure about a regular diatonic harp working well for minor keys at all, but Lee Oskar makes minor key harps that are diatonic, those should be an easy switch. I'd like to get a chromatic harp someday, but it'd be completely different, so I think I'm going to get a Melodica (like a 3-octave reed keyboard with a breath tube- I'll run it through the POG and Leslie cabinet, too!)...