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PLAYING IN MINOR KEYS There are several different types of minor keys. It is just possible by choosing further starting points on the holes, but rather complicated, to play in a minor key on a major key diatonic harp. With a chromatic harmonica of course you can play in any key, with adjustments made as needed from the slider button. You can just get various versions of minor keys on a standard diatonic, (although with some notes missing where you may not want them gone) by starting on 2nd.hole blow, or 4th. draw (probably the best option if a little high), or even 5th. blow (octave higher than the first mentioned) but this is a compromise and you need quite complex tables to work out which harp to pick up in the first place! Fortunately Lee Oskar harps are made in a very useful range of options, with minor keys and special tunings available at standard prices. Go to minor key charts and explanations. Even Special Major key harps Lee Oskar even have one system (called melody maker tuning) which even makes major keys easier to play in, so read on. The information below was collected with the help of information from Lee Oscar`s excellent guide which is packed inside all their harp boxes. This even gives still more ways to use the tunings, and indicates possible extra notes from bending also. There is too much to include here, but if you buy a Lee Oskar you will get all this extra info on that leaflet.

Blow C E G C E G C E G C Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Draw D G B D F A B D F A

Blow C E A C E G C E G C Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Draw D G B D F# A B D F# A

STANDARD DIATONIC BLUES HARP Here for comparison is your standard diatonic blues harp. In cross harp style it is often played in second position, i.e. from the second hole upwards on draw, instead of the conventional first hole on blow upwards.

MELODY MAKER TUNING (SUPER MAJOR!) This is sheer genius. This is a harp, that by changing the standard diatonic tuning of just three notes, Lee Oscar gives you two octaves of a perfect G major scale to play ordinary major key tunes easily. Note also that you can also play the three main chords of C, G and D, which are the main ones for the key of G major. Despite starting on C, this harp IS a G major harp, and is labelled as such. It is designed to be played in cross-harp position from the second hole draw upwards.

We stock diatonic blues harps in all keys and chromatic harmonicas in sizes 8, 10, 12, 14 or 16 hole. Makes include HOHNER, LEE~OSKAR, TOMBO, and we even stock spare Lee Oscar Reed Plates as a matter of course for replacement into existing Lee Oscars.

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