I have a question...

When I'm surfin' around the internet on different harmonica sites, I'll occasionally come across areas that offers harps in keys, "country G" key or some such. What does it mean to be tuned to country? Does it "twang" like country singers are prone to do? lol

I have no idea, so if anybody knows, I'd love to hear it...

Also, I'll commonly see harps offered in Low C, Low G, low F etc.... what does this mean?

~always Maria.

Country tuning is a special setup that allows for a full major diatonic scale to be played in 2nd position.

Basically, if you look at a normal 10-hole diatonic harp in the key of C, the draw 5 is tuned to F natural. That way, you've got the complete diatonic scale from blow 4 through blow 7. However, when you play in 2nd position, you are missing that 7th note (actually, it's a ½-step flat). Country Tuning solves this by bumping draw 5 up to F#. Now the 4th note of the 1st position is a ½-step too sharp, but when you play in 2nd position, you've got a full diatonic scale. (True, you have to bend draw 3 a full step to get the 2nd note, but without the change to the draw 5, there's no way to get an F# on a standard 10-hole key of C harp.)

thanx for your detailed anwser on country keys Frank. It's funny, when I read it, I understand what you're saying, but I swear I couldn't explain it to anybody else. lol

So, what does it mean to be tuned "low?" ie Low C, Low G?

~always Maria.

oh, and what is it to be turned "high?"

~always Maria.

Definitions of Low & High tuned keys.

First, you need to know the standard 12 keys and how they line up from lowest to highest:

LOW: G Ab A Bb B C Db D Eb E F F# :HIGH

Now that you know that, we can define Low and High tuning:

Low tuned keys are keys that are below the standard G. Usually the lowest of these keys is Low C.

High tuned keys are keys that are above the standard F#. I think High C is the highest of these keys, though It may be High B or even High A.

High G is probably the most common/popular of the high-tuned keys, and Low C is probably the most common/popular of the low-tuned keys.

Thanx for the explanation of Low & High tuned harps. Now, I rather think I'd like to own a low tuned C harmonica. (grin)))

~always Maria.