The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #4600   Message #43146
Posted By: murray@mpce.mq.edu.au
24-Oct-98 - 11:23 PM
Thread Name: Leadbelly's strings
Subject: RE: Leadbelly's strings
Roger, harmonicas are made in every key in the chromatic scale. It seems easier to for you to pick the tuning that suits your voice and have the harp player choose a harmonica to suit yours.

Terry plays "cross harp" which means he plays a fifth above the nominal key of the harmonica. If you tune your guitar normally and play in the key of E, your harp player would use a harmonica in the key of A.

Since Terry spent so much time playing along with Brownie McGhee, who used a standard-stringed guitar, I would be inclined to think he didn't particullarly favor an E harp.

Most amateur harp players I know start out with a C and then later add a D to their collection. This means they can play blues with a guitar tuned to G and A respectively. Next in order of frequency are the F and A harps which play with guitars in C and E respectively.

Ah well, sorry to get so bogged down in harminica lore. It happens to be an interest with me at the moment :)

Murray