Tunnings?

[Scott Danneker]

Greetings all, I have  question or four.

1) If I am playing in standard minstrel tuning (dGDF#A) and a harmonica player wishes to toot along, which key harmonica should the harmonica player select?

2) If I am playing in another minstrel tuning (dADF#A -"high bass"?) and a harmonica player wishes to toot along, which key harmonica should the harmonica player select?

3) If I am playing in yet another minstrel type tuning (dGDGA -"double-d" in old time?) and a harmonica player wishes to play along, upon which key harmonica should the player toot?

4) Finally; if I am playing in yet one more minstrel type tuning (dADGA -"Sawmill" in old time"?) and a harmonica player wishes to play along, upon which harmonica key should the player blow?

Many thanks,

-Scott Danneker

[Scott Danneker]

You are absolutely correct, sorry for the connfusion.  That said, I used the harp frame because I was expecting to be playing with a harmonicist the following weekend.  Alas, after all of this, he failed to show.
 
Strumelia said:

I think the harp player was actually just a made up thing, as an easy example for Scott to frame his questions asking what key he was playing in when he was in various tunings. He couldn't tell by ear what key he was in when in these various tunings he was trying out, and he doesn't yet know how to play in different positions/keys from one tuning.  "If the tune is in C better pull out the C harp, eh?"--you making the premise that Scott already knows what key he is playing in, when he doesn't.  That's what makes this thread a bit confusing.  Scott, correct me if I'm wrong about this.

(my spellchecker keeps underlining "tunings"....maybe it wants me to write "tunnings"...hahah)

[Don Rice]

Hi Stumelia & Scot,

From the harp player.The question I would like to ask the both of you if I'm playing banjo with Minstrel tuning d, G,D,F#,A and I put my finger on the second fret on the G string and make the A note leaving the other strings open what is the chord A or D ?. Do you know where I can get a chord chart for Minstrel banjo ?.

Cheers, Don.  

[Scott Danneker]

Hi Don,

I have no clue.

Many thanks for your thoughtful and well articulated question.

Cheers,

[Scott Danneker]

Oh, I almost forgot!

Dan'l posted a chord chart on this thread a few days ago.  I thinnk it's on page 2.

Cheers,
 
Scott Danneker said:

Hi Don,

I have no clue.

Many thanks for your thoughtful and well articulated question.

Cheers,

[Scott Danneker]

I just found this:

http://minstrelbanjo.ning.com/forum/topics/how-to-tune

[Scott Danneker]

This too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siZwEw10v4Q

I'm assuming that "sawmill" is G modal here?

[Strumelia]

Short answer- yes.  People use the term 'Sawmill' for both 'G modal' and 'A modal' these days. 'Sawmill' is a little more specific in terms of the relationships between the strings in the tuning, whereas the word 'modal' is always a bit vague, since everything we play is usually in one mode or another.

[Tom Taggart]

The discussion on keys in this thread, and playing a banjo with a harp reminded me that I used to play harp.  Haven't done it in a while, but today I found a 3 harp set, C, D, and G in a case that I just couldn't pass up.  Now I have to get to work remembering how to play the things.  I used to be able to play "cross harp" on a C which puts it in the key of G.  Well, we will see what happens.