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DATE: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 22:13:11 CST
X-MX-Warning: Warning -- Invalid "From" header.
From: James B. Girton
Subject: more harp stuff

greetings. There have been just so many postings recently that I am
starting to get really inspired and will probably go back and practice
right away... but first a few questions/comments.

I haven't seen any of Charlie Musselwhite's books, but I believe a friend
who had one once told me that they claim you should be able to play in
_all_twelve_ "positions" somehow (where each position is simply the next
step on the circle of fifths until you come back to where you started).
From most of the recent discussion, it sounds as though each position has a
very different "character" and the higher numbered positions are used only
rarely. Does anyone use 6th, 7th, 8th,..., 11th, 12th position? (B, F#,
C#/Db,..., Bb, F, respectively) Or you may number the last ones "flat"
positions by taking the circle in reverse. It seems to me that some of
these would be next to useless, right? Better to just buy another
harmonica in the key you need...


>5th position C harp plays four to the right or E. A plays in Db Lydian?
>
if anyone cares, the fifth position (or III) is actually "Phrygian" mode in
the old medieval church system. Using just the normal diatonic notes of
the harp, it has a flat second (on a C harp, this is F where an E scale
demands F#).
As Steve pointed out, you can play the "correct" note using 2-draw (if you
happen to be down in that neighborhood when you need it...(:-)


This discussion is awesome! I have never really used anything but straight
and cross-harp (and an occasional minor blues in "third position") but I
had stopped practicing much since I believed I had reached about the limit
of what the harp could do in the hands of a ordinary person. It's great to
see how much more is really possible. Thanks to everyone for re-kindling
my interest.


James Girton
jgirto~c.swarthmore.edu

p.s. If anyone feels like posting a more detailed description of exactly
what "overblowing" is and how to do it, I would be psyched.