Got thrown for a loop tonight at band practice. I consider myself a solid 1st position player and a good 2nd position player, but I've played a little bit in 3rd position. I haven't really done a lot of tunes that required it and they were simple tunes that didn't require much of me as a player.. We were working on Right Place, Right Time by Dr John tonight and the tune pants me! Truthfully, I was a little embarrassed because I was so caught off guard.
We were in C minor and I had the Bb harp, so the problem was operator error. While I know it's possible, I'd like to get some input on how difficult it is learn to play proficiently in 3rd position. We're a working band that has lots of dates on the books and we want to get this tune into the mix in the next few weeks, so I need to learn it quickly or invest in a minor key harp. Either way, I'm going to learn to play in 3rd position, but with only an hour or so of practice time a day, I don't want to hold the band back when I could just get a harp tuned the way I need it...
Give it a shot playing along with it on YouTube (not sure if that's the normal key or not, if not just grab the right harp, learning the pattern is all you need). Play through a few times and see if it comes to you. Maybe it will, maybe it won't.
That said, if you haven't played a minor tuned harmonica before, give one a try. I have a Lee Oskar Natural Minor, and some standards almost happen by accident when you start playing. (St. James Infirmary sounds great on a natural minor.) Even if you don't end up using it on Dr. John you'll probably get some good use out of it.
Our band does just about everything in minor keys (like C# minor!) and I am more articulate in, and love playing in second position. I use Lee Oskar natural minors a lot, and reckon they're great.
See how you go getting minor chords in third postion on a major harp. ---------- Lucky Lester
If I were playing this song in C minor, i would play in 5th position on a country tuned Ab harp. 5th position is great for getting that sly, smooth, gritty sound while playing in a minor key. Also, for this particular song, you would have thirds that you can play to make every chord in the song. ---------- C. Adam Hamil Free Reed Instrument Technician
Last Edited by on Nov 02, 2011 8:38 AM
I suggest going with 3rd position for minor tunes. Spend your money on having harps in all 12 keys.
You asked, "how difficult is it?". It's easy. That's why I do it and recomend it, yet there are some guys that will not make the leap to learn another position. Fith is also an easy position for minor tunes.
If you are new to 3rd position, start with 4 hole and up. Don't try holes 1,2,and 3 until you are comfortable with 4 and higher. Avoid 7 draw.
BUT There are advantages to minor harps. You can play chords. You can play 2nd position and play holes 1,2, and 3 easily. So I can see why some people prefer a "hardware solution" to the need.
Thanks for the input, fellas, I really appreciate it... Based on your comments, I think I'll try both. I'm curious to play a minor harp, but I also want to be able to play in more than just the first two positions, just in case I'm somewhere with only a handful of harps and get invited to sit in. Thanks especially for the technical tips. Awesome! Play on, boys and girls!!
I've beem playing the 3rd position a LONGGG time, but that Jason Ricci video above taught me a valuable lesson. I like his approach better than mine.
In my case, it goes to show you how someone can THNIK they know the answer, but there may be other and better answers.
Now I know what I'm gonna practice for the next couple of weeks. ---------- theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
Last Edited by on Nov 03, 2011 10:48 AM
I think RPWT has a Minor I chord and a Major IV chord. If this is so, third position will work better than a minor tuned harp. This is because third position gives you a major 6th to play over the IV chord while a minor harp will have a minor 6th. (In case you don't know, the 6th is the 3rd of the IV chord.)
But i can't find any sheet music or tab on line to give me the actual chords for RPWT, so i could be wrong about it having a Major IV chord. Your guitar player should know, though, so you might want to ask him.
