Just trying out the video function on my cell phone and also my new reverb unit, well ok it’s the Loo really. (but it’s got a handy seat in there)
I’m playing my improv of Summertime unplugged on a Bb harp in two different octaves, still not sure what position this is 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc., or squatting?
Tried hard to avoid bum notes but was having trouble with my blocked U bends ;°)
Nice playing. Dont know what position but I am sure it was comfortable! Those close by must have been 'blown away'! Accoustics must have been good. Couldn't hear any nasty percussive effects.
Must be running out of locations or, like me, are you banished from playing in the house proper?
Hey Grey Owl, great job. You were playing in 3rd there and hitting that 3d'' (5th) perfectly too. We did this song for a previous "challenge" here on MBH a couple of years ago. For my version I jumped one chorus up into the third octave: 8d 8b 9d 9b 10d 10b (Dorian mode), which I thought sounded good. ----------
mr_so&so Thanks man. I'm not as comfortable on the high end of the harp, but that looks worth trying out so thanks for that. Also it would be cool to play all three octaves.
welcome back greyowl I love to play summertime but sure dont have the angst you put into it thought someone had offended you and you had left the forum
Cheers Groyster1 It's good to be back, no upsets btw.
I agree Summertime is a lovely song to play and thanks to mr_so&so I now know that I'm playing this in 3rd position which is a departure from my stock 2nd position playing!! Here is an earlier languid version of Summertime in 2nd postion on an A harp.
I taught myself to play summertime and really dont know what position Im playing in as I resolve on 1 draw and 3blow,root notes of 3rd position and crossharp respectively
@ Groyster At the risk of 'blind leading the blind' accusations ;°) My second vid resolves on the 1 draw at the end of the phrase, 'Summertime and the living is easy' which I believe is 2nd position.
Just so I can view it from another angle what draw or blow note do you start on?
I would respectfully ask that Music Theorists on this Forum kindly refrain from belly laughing at these musings.
@GreyOwl, That first line of the song ends on the 5th note of the (natural minor) scale, so for 2nd pos. that is 1d/4d/8d and for 3rd pos. that is 3d''/6d/10d. I think you play great by ear, BTW; Personally I need to understand what I'm doing WRT to the theory, but everyone's different.
The only thing I'll say to the theory-challenged is that if you don't know what position you're in you don't know what key you're in. If you're going to venture out of cross harp, you need to know a bit of theory -- but not much (circle of fifths).
@greyowl I start on the 4draw and end on the 1draw but I end the song on the 3blow so I guess Im confused as to what position Im in-as far as the laughing,thats ok if people are amused at what I say,then so be it-everybody needs a good laugh and appreciate the sense of humor this forum has as I have gotten many good laughs myself from it
@ groyster1 Thanks for that, yes I believe you are playing 2nd postion. The laughing bit was intended to be at my expense rather than yours, but you're right it's good to have a laugh anyway - life can sometimes be too serious.
heres how I play summertime by trial and error 4 3` 4 4+ 3` 4+ 4 3` 2 1 4 4 4+ 3` 4+ 4+ 3` 3` 3` 4+ 3` 3` 4 4 4+ 3` 4 4+ 3` 4+ 4 3` 2 1 1 2` 1 2` 2 3` 4+ 4 4+ 3` 3+ I am resolving on the root notes for 3rd position until the end when I resolve on 3blow which is second position since this is the way I did it I am confused as to what position Im in
Not meaning to ignore you groyster1. Was away from computers for the weekend.
You are playing in 2nd position. Songs often start and usually end on the tonic a.k.a. root note, (but not always). The other note to look for is the 5th which is the second most "stable" note of a scale (the "dominant").
So in this case the song starts on the 5th (4 draw for 2nd pos.) and ends on the root note (2/3+). The first three lines end on the 5th, minor 3rd, and 5th, all "strong" non-root notes for a minor tune.
This is the type of stuff to look for to figure out what position your are in. If you had picked out the tune by ear in third position, you'd have started on 3''/6/10 and resolved to 1/4/8. And the minor third is 2''/5/9.
