Major Cross

Early on, people figured out that you can get some useful notes by playing the harmonica in 2nd position, or "Cross Harp", key of G on a C harp. The bends are more useful than the same bends in first position, C on a C harp. The draw 5 was flat in 2nd position. Good for blues, not so much for melody. There has been an evolution of sorts for harps designed to play melody in cross harp. Charlie McCoy popularized "Country tuning". That raised the flat draw 5 to play major in cross harp. Buddy Greene and Phil Duncan and others had good success using Country tuning. Brendan Power raised the blow 3 note so it wasn't the same as draw 2. This eliminated the need to bend draw 3 a whole step to get a missing note. Lee Oskar combined both ideas and came up Melody Maker tuning. The Melody Maker has been my favorite, and most used, harmonica for over 20 years. Lee Oskar has recorded a lot music using the MelodyMaker. Tony Eyers took the same idea step farther with the Major Cross tuning. It eliminates the need to bend the draw 2 to complete the major scale. Just like some folks who became proficient with the Country tuning didn't want to relearn patterns with the Melody Maker, so some folks, like me, have been hesitant to adopt Major Cross. I am very used to bending draw 2 for the 7th. Recently I got a Major Cross. (They were once "do it yourself" retunes, but now Seydel sells them ready made.) I had no trouble playing many favorites on the Major Cross that I have played for years on the Melody Maker. Many tunes play exactly the same. That pesky bent draw 2 is now an easy blow 2. Here is my first recording with Major Cross. The hymn is Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken. The same tune is used for a few other hymns and also for the German National Anthem. Only one bend, on draw 4, is needed. An easy bend in an easy spot. The song starts on draw 2, the key note. Try this song on a Melody Maker or a Country tuned. You will have all the notes, but will be bending a lot, and some of them happen rather quickly.