Quite confusing

Norm

I know I've answered this question in depth at least one or two times before, but I'll be damned if I can find it with a search of these forums. You might try the search yourself and see if you can find something useful. Here's the closest I could get-
http://www.harmonicalessons.com/members/dcforum/DCForumID4/37.html

A few quick tips:

*The more you play along with music where you know you are in tune, the faster your ear will begin to understand what being in tune sounds like. Use the CDs: Song Keys section to find the correct key of harmonica and play along with songs. This will help train your ear.

*Start with a key of "C" diatonic or chromatic and play every note of the Major Scale along with a song until you find one note that seems to work most often, especially at the ends of main sections (resolution). A chromatic harmonica is even better because you can use the chromatic scale which has all the notes (like white and black keys of a piano). This of course implies that you know these scales and are able to identify the name of the note when you find the right one. Chromatic Scale-
http://www.harmonicalessons.com/members/tabs/tabschromatic.php

And/Or

*Buy all 12 keys of diatonics and play with each one until you find the best sounding key.

And/Or

*Use a chromatic or major scale on a keyboard and try to find the note of resolution (assuming you play a bit and have one). Asking a keyboard or guitar player friend to help with this task is also a good thing. You could even get a private lesson with a local piano or keyboard teacher to help you with this.

From the FAQs section of the website-
http://www.harmonicalessons.com/members/faqstheo.php#play_to_CDs

--
Play on,
Dave Gage

Hear Dave Play:
Myspace Jukebox 1
Myspace Jukebox 2

New website: Harmonica 4 Kids.com

Quote

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Hi can anyone tell me how do you find out what key, a song or tune that it is playing in. Do you have to try every harmonica with different key ???? Is there a book that you can buy on this ??? Or a rule of thumb ??? Should I buy 12 different keys. I like Stevie Wonder type music. What key does most of his song is tune played.

Quite confusing

Norm

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Thanks Dave ,I will buy some CD's from your Web site it is probably the best thing, again Dave joining your site is worth the bucks.
Very professional with a classic touch.....
P.S. I was telling you that Lee Oskar harps are the best, But I bought myself a treat this morning .I bought a Hohner Meisterklass this morning. It is beautyful harp and I am impress with the sound. It is well made. I ordered two 24 Kt gold plated plates for it. Its going to look like a gold bar LOL.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

Norm
Rogersville
N.B.
Canada

search for "name of song sheet music" - the number of sharps or flats at the beginning of the song is the clue to the key - how to determine the key from the number of sharps and flats is available here: www.empire.k12.ca.us/capistrano/Mike/capmusic/Key%20Signatures/key_signatures.htm as well as in other places

search for "name of song guitar tab" - this will include chord names above the tab - the first and last chords in the song are usually in the key the song's in - if they're different, the last chord is more likely to be the same as the key.

This won't always work - sometimes the song has been transcribed in a key that's different from that of the recording you're listening to - but it works most of the time.

I love Stevie Wonder's music, too. It can be pretty complex, I've read that he plays a 4-octave chromatic - I hope to get there some day, I'm just beginning!

Good luck!

Fran