asilve3
117 posts
Sep 11, 2011
8:30 PM
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Can you play the major scale in 1st position in all 3 octaves? This seems to be a basic thing that so many people just cannot do! Why is it so many players are so eager to learn the blues scale before their major scales?
Theres a lot of talk on this forum about learning new sounds and "understanding" the harmonica. The major scale is the first thing you learn on every other instrument. Learning the c major scale in all three octaves on a c harmonica will help you learn the notes on the harmonica and will help you improve your bends in the first octave.
If you wish to be on the path to true musicianship and not just a harp player learn this most basic of skills and it will serve you well on your journey!
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Gnarly
90 posts
Sep 11, 2011
11:33 PM
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Yup, try Moon River in the first octave. Tons of fun, infuriate your chromatic playing pals.
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Andrew
1433 posts
Sep 11, 2011
11:45 PM
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Yes, but the hardest note is the bent 10 blow.
"Why is it so many players are so eager to learn the blues scale before their major scales?"
Because it's a blues forum.
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Andrew.
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Those who are tardy do not get fruit cup.
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boris_plotnikov
607 posts
Sep 12, 2011
1:43 AM
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Yes.
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Excuse my bad English. Click on my photo or my username for my music.
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Jim Rumbaugh
573 posts
Sep 12, 2011
4:31 AM
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Yes, but it's not a pretty sight.
After playing the song "Misty" in the first octave my friend responded, "gee Jim, do you hate that harmonica so much that you make it sound like that?"
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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Diggsblues
993 posts
Sep 12, 2011
7:59 AM
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I think you missed Todd's thread on playing scales in all the major key plus the blues scales.
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Emile "Diggs" D'Amico a Legend In His Own Mind
How you doin'
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HarmonicaMick
302 posts
Sep 12, 2011
1:29 PM
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Yes, I can, and at a reasonably speed. But I don't even try to hit the leading-note (whoops, sorry: 7th degree of the scale) in the 3rd 8ve.
One of Lee Sankey's videos addresses the whole issue (not problem) of how to play across all three octaves, and he suggests what you brought up as a good way to get started. In that video, he also plays the 3rd 8ve C D E F G A C - taking a C harp as a reference.
By the way, I think your point is a good one, and is something that is too frequently overlooked.
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YouTube SlimHarpMick
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mr_so&so
464 posts
Sep 12, 2011
1:44 PM
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Yes, I can too, and I agree it's a very good thing to work on. Playing the major scale also sets you up for playing in various positions on the harmonica by playing the modes of the major scale.
E.g., Dorian mode, start your scale on 1d, instead of 1b and end on 4d or 8d, but otherwise play the same notes as you would for the (first position) major scale of the harp. Then your root note becomes 1d/4d/8d and you are playing the Dorian (minor) mode in third position.
Playing the various modes of the major scale is great way to start learning various positions without much bending required.
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Cristal Lecter
126 posts
Sep 12, 2011
4:38 PM
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The question seems simple and people who has already reacted to this question didn't said "what does that mean?"
Mastering a scale is not only playing the notes after the other (i.e CM : C, D, E, F......) but playing ALL the combinations of that scale, in third, in forth, in fifth, in arpeggios, in different rhythmic patterns (all the combinations as well).....So at the end of the day even what seems the most easier scales, can turn into a very difficult exercise
And when you practice like that, ANY scale is at some point complicated.
Even playing a single note (the F, first octave) can be tricky if you want to make that note "believable" since it's a bend, to apply the same "colour" as the other natural notes.
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Never try to be as good as someone else, succeed to be the best player you can be!
Last Edited by on Sep 12, 2011 4:41 PM
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Miles Dewar
1113 posts
Sep 12, 2011
7:21 PM
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I have only worked on the octave with the 4, 5 and 6 overblows.
So no.
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Miles Dewar
1114 posts
Sep 12, 2011
7:24 PM
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lol..... I was confused and talking about the "Blues" Scale. ;)
In response to your question, Not Perfectly, but yes. That was one of the first things my music booked talked about. Though the high notes are a distaster area for me. I only recently started (with the aid of tongueblocking) being able to get good tone out of the highest notes.
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---Go Chicago Bears!!!---
Last Edited by on Sep 12, 2011 7:27 PM
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Joe_L
1448 posts
Sep 12, 2011
8:14 PM
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Why is it so many players are so eager to learn the blues scale before their major scales?
It's because playing blues is fun. It gets you chicks and free booze. You can make tens of dollars a night. Plus, other non-blues playing harp players will hate your guts because your on stage and they aren't. There's five reasons right there.
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The Blues Photo Gallery
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HarmonicaMick
303 posts
Sep 13, 2011
4:19 AM
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It gets you chicks and free booze.
Yes, this is true.
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YouTube SlimHarpMick
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BAG
94 posts
Sep 13, 2011
2:56 PM
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Yup. Sure can. That is what commutes are for. Playing scales.
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Twitter ~ BossoBrewingCo
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