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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Breakthrough
Breakthrough
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Harpengr
22 posts
Oct 22, 2011
9:37 AM
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I just wanted to share my little moment with all of who know what I'm talking about.
Last night I was at a jam where we sit In a circle and take turns playing or singing. A gentleman ahead of me stood and began to sing. He didn't know what key and the rest of us were Searching for the key. I grabbed a D harp and began to play along. I told the guitar players around me "D". In a moment they said "A". I realized I was playing in SECOND POSITION! I finished the song in second position!
My first time playing second position successfully. And in public, no less. I went on to play several more in second position that evening.
For my stage of development this is a major hurdle overcome.
Thanks for listening.
Anyone else have moments like this to share?
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snakes
649 posts
Oct 22, 2011
1:52 PM
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Very cool. A couple years back I was in a similar scenario where we were sitting in a circle with Grant Dermody and Orville Johnson. They are some great local folks in my area on harp and dobro/guitar/mandolin. There were probably 30 people in the circle and we would go around the circle and whether guitar, mandolin, or harp you got your 12 bars for the song. I made the mistake of only bringing a couple keys of harp so when they chose an off key I made do with a key of C harp. After the song I had to ask Grant what position I was playing in (I am not well versed in more than 1st or 2nd position and little 3rd really). He said based on the key I had I was playing 4th position. T'were a lot of bends in that drill. LOL! For me though it was totally by ear.
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snakes in Seattle
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harmonicanick
1339 posts
Oct 22, 2011
2:16 PM
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Beware the circle!!
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jbone
667 posts
Oct 23, 2011
6:49 AM
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i know 1st, 2nd, and 3rd mostly. this allows for quite a bit of leeway in finding a harp that works, but the downside is, finding something that sounds good quickly.
i am never shy to ask someone close to me what the key is.
making a breakthrough to 2nd position is big though! the circle of 5ths and an investment in about 7 or 8 harps will get you into most popular keys.
friday night i was told the song was in F. so i had 3 choices, straight or 1st-F- not great for some songs in the blues-y arena- 2nd-Bb- what most players go to in blues, and 3rd-Eb- which most players don't even have in their case!
if i am to set myself apart just a bit i need different harps and different methods of navigating through a song. something that's very cool about this is being able not just to sound different but also to sometimes show another player a new approach to the same old song.
my wife and i have a duo and i have been afforded a lot of opportunity to try out different positions and kinds of harps. i'm pretty well set on diatonics and a few chromatics. most of the different brand and type harps give a slightly different feel. some are tuned just, some are compromise. some have plastic combs, others wood or composite or even metal combs. some covers are open and some closed at the sides. some sound good in one position but not necessarily another.
all this serves to keep me on my toes and busy! i have the rest of my life to keep learning and keep doing good music. we all do.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
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jbone
668 posts
Oct 23, 2011
6:49 AM
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i know 1st, 2nd, and 3rd mostly. this allows for quite a bit of leeway in finding a harp that works, but the downside is, finding something that sounds good quickly.
i am never shy to ask someone close to me what the key is.
making a breakthrough to 2nd position is big though! the circle of 5ths and an investment in about 7 or 8 harps will get you into most popular keys.
friday night i was told the song was in F. so i had 3 choices, straight or 1st-F- not great for some songs in the blues-y arena- 2nd-Bb- what most players go to in blues, and 3rd-Eb- which most players don't even have in their case!
if i am to set myself apart just a bit i need different harps and different methods of navigating through a song. something that's very cool about this is being able not just to sound different but also to sometimes show another player a new approach to the same old song.
my wife and i have a duo and i have been afforded a lot of opportunity to try out different positions and kinds of harps. i'm pretty well set on diatonics and a few chromatics. most of the different brand and type harps give a slightly different feel. some are tuned just, some are compromise. some have plastic combs, others wood or composite or even metal combs. some covers are open and some closed at the sides. some sound good in one position but not necessarily another.
all this serves to keep me on my toes and busy! i have the rest of my life to keep learning and keep doing good music. we all do.
----------
http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
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