Which Key to use

Harmonica General Harmonica
1

Hi everybody! I’m a beginner and was joining a Chris Kramer workshop last week. I‘m very excited about the Hohner Penta Harp.

But I‘m not sure in which key I should buy it. I mainly play blues guitar accompainings in E-major. I often heard that in Blues it‘s suitable to play minor scales in major keys so should I use a E-minor harp? Or is it better to use the parallel key to E-major so I have to buy a C#-minor harp?

Thank you,

kind regards,

Sebastian

2

To play in the key of E, straight harp would, of course be E. To play in 2nd position, you would want to get an A harp. Typical blues is played in 2nd position.

Good luck,

Don

3

Hey Don, thanks for your reply!

I think I understood that, but I thought that it’s kind of different with the Penta Harp, because it’s based on the minor pentatonic, not the classical Richter tuning…?

4

Hi Sebastian

I suggest you start off with a Penta Harp in Em. As you say, the E minor blues scale works fine over major chords played as 7th chords. The C# minor Penta Harp would give you most of the E major scale, but would not sound bluesy in E.

Steve

5

Hey Steve,

thanks for your reply!

Then I will try so. I‘m looking forward having my first success moments until practicing more technics on a regular blues harp. :smiling_face:

Best wishes from Bavaria,

Sebu

6

The two tunings are quite different. The Penta Harp is designed to enable a blues scale without bending, but lacks the full chords which are central to the standard Richter tuning. It’s basically aimed at guitarists who want to accompany themselves using the blues scale.