What is the key for the Harp on"Like a Rolling Stone"....Thanks

dylan's studio version is in C and he plays it straight - so a C harp. not sure if the stones' version is in C, but mick plays cross-harp - so F....

Quote
StonesTod
dylan's studio version is in C and he plays it straight - so a C harp. not sure if the stones' version is in C, but mick plays cross-harp - so F....

Yes, indeedy, and Mick's crossharp on this tune is one of my few moments of pleasure in the post-Wyman era of Stones recordings. A very creative cover by the boys.

Is the key in crossharp the key that the air is sucked in, as opposed to blown out?

I suck at playing harp, but I ain't ever tried crossharp, maybe that will help.

BTW, I think Mick is the best white harp player ever...one of the things that makes the Stones such a great band.

if you suck enough, then blues crossharp is for you. personally, i blow at harp playing, so i do it straight....

Quote
Keefan
Is the key in crossharp the key that the air is sucked in, as opposed to blown out?

I suck at playing harp, but I ain't ever tried crossharp, maybe that will help.

BTW, I think Mick is the best white harp player ever...one of the things that makes the Stones such a great band.

Corss harp is when you play in the key four full tones above the song's key - handy for blues scales. So if yer blues song is in "E", you play an "A" harp, etc. Jagger nearly always plays cross, Dylan straight...Infer from that what you will.

Quote
71Tele

Quote
Keefan
Is the key in crossharp the key that the air is sucked in, as opposed to blown out?

I suck at playing harp, but I ain't ever tried crossharp, maybe that will help.

BTW, I think Mick is the best white harp player ever...one of the things that makes the Stones such a great band.

Corss harp is when you play in the key four full tones above the song's key - handy for blues scales. So if yer blues song is in "E", you play an "A" harp, etc. Jagger nearly always plays cross, Dylan straight...Infer from that what you will.

dylan's been much more apt to play crossharp on stage in more recent years - with mixed results....

Quote
71Tele

Quote
Keefan
Is the key in crossharp the key that the air is sucked in, as opposed to blown out?

I suck at playing harp, but I ain't ever tried crossharp, maybe that will help.

BTW, I think Mick is the best white harp player ever...one of the things that makes the Stones such a great band.

Corss harp is when you play in the key four full tones above the song's key - handy for blues scales. So if yer blues song is in "E", you play an "A" harp, etc. Jagger nearly always plays cross, Dylan straight...Infer from that what you will.

Thanks very much for that info (you too, StonesTod). You've inspired me to try playing harp and guitar together again, ala Dylan. I will definitely try crossharp, I think it will give me the bluesier sound that I couldn't quite get playing harp 'straight'.

much harder to play crossharp well with a harp holder (like dylan USED to do)...quite easy to play it straight in a holder, though. to bend notes properly you really need two hands gripping it....

^^^^ YEah, I'm sure you're right about that. Otherwise a lot more old blues guys would have been playing harp and guitar together, like Dylan (does he not do that anymore?). Guess the harp holders are more of a folk thing than a blues thing?

I will try it anyway, it will be a fun way to annoy my dog.

it's pretty easy, keefan - your dog might even pick up on it before you do.

no, it's been awhile since bob did the old folk/guitar/harmonica thing...something he learned from listening to woody guthries and others before him....

What does Mick play for Midnight Rambler? I remember seeing that a while back but I can't remember nor do I recall the actual thread title. I thought someone said he plays an A even though the song is in B. Which sounds wrong.

On midnight rambler he uses an E harp.

He definitely uses an E harp. Cross harp sounds much better with rock and blues. Straight harp is great for country and folk, and is harder to play as you have fewer "safe" holes, mostly at the higher end of the harp, 5 and above.