Harp Alert: Watch Out For That Key!

A short detour to address an issue that only those in the anti-authoritarian, "I'm smarter than you", rules are meant to be broken crowd will probably encounter. I'm an unapologetic member of this society. Benjamin Franklin, Eli Whitney, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein are a few of it's most august alums. Unlike me, however, they were really, really smart and had drive, dedication and a preternatural ability to envision a greater future for mankind. Me, I like to watch baseball until my eyes bleed. Dedication or pathological avoidance? It's all semantics. Either way, my discovery will rank below the invention of the light bulb and cotton gin but may save you a few minutes of frustration and a few million cilia in your inner ear.

To the point. Do not use a harp to accompany that doesn't match or compliment the key of the music! Ever! For 1st position A to A. For 2nd, count up four keys (including the key that the tune is being played in). In this case, music in the key of A calls for a D harp (A1, B2. C3, D4). I thought I'd practice with my new A harp on a roughly 200 mile drive today. The music was in the key of G. I knew this. I also knew it called for a C harp. But I wanted to get some time in on my A because I've been asked to bring it along on a surf trip next week. I didn't think it would make much difference. It did and my practice session lasted about 45 seconds. It was the aural equivalent of someone beating on a trashcan with a 2 X 4 a few bars into the Moonlight Sonata. Apparently the rules of musical accompaniment exist for reason. But that's why I'm here. I make the mistakes so you don't have to.