well- it was a free gig at a restaurant that has maybe 4 people eating and 10 at the bar watching a sports. you should see what i wear for a beach gig!!
That's what it sounded like. 5th is easy. It's a lot like 2nd. Playing minor pentatonic in 5th is the same breath pattern as playing major pentatonic in 2nd, just starting on a different note. Use 2B 5B and 8B for root, don't bend anything but 3D, and don't bend 3D more than a whole step. Try to avoid 5D and 9D.
5th is cool for natural minors because you have flat 3 flat 6 and flat 7 without having to bend. Actually, on this particular tune you can bend D4 on the I chord to get major 6 on that chord (only) and it will work. But the rest of the tune requires a flat 6. I think it modulates from Dorian minor to natural minor. Very cool tune.
thanks- unfortunately i know very little theory and what you wrote sort of befuddles me. it aint you! i have had others try to get this same info to me. i think i burned out to many brain cells in my youth. perhaps i will just take what you said veeeery slow and see if i can get it to make sense. are there any vids on this, maybe someone doing some simple playing? or maybe you would be kind enough to tab out the scale.
Fifth Position MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE (1 3b 4 5 7b) through 2 registers (key of E minor on a C harp):
B2 D2/B3 D3** D3 4D 5B 6B 6D 7D 8D 8B
You can extend the scale a little in either direction: D1 B9 and D10 are scale tones. B9=flat third. Stay away from D5 and D9.
It's not in the minor PENTATONIC scale, but B1, B4, B7 and B 10 give you flat 6 which is in the natural minor scale and is also the flat 3d of the IV chord and is needed playing in a natural minor key.
Natural minor scale, Fifth Position: B2 D2* D2/B3 D3** D3 4B 4D B5. You've got to bend D2 to get the major second, which, btw is NOT available in the middle octave.
Be careful not to bend randomly or you will be taken out of key. When playing minor in Fourth or Fifth Position one has to be very deliberate and selective about bending any notes. But in each of those positions you can get all the most important notes you need for minor key material WITHOUT having to bend for them.
Last Edited by on Nov 28, 2011 5:51 AM
The simpler - sweeter Coltrane tunes are to die for. 'Ballads' is my can't live without CD of his. I'll have to try this in 4th & Chitlins in 5th - if I can put my tenor down. ----------
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2011 1:52 PM
@MP: Yeah, playing natural minor in 3rd,you often can't really flow--you have to make compromises and/or be extremely careful. So, you wind up playing what you CAN play instead of what would sound best. I think one can really move around much more freely and fluidly on natural minors in 5th (and 4th) positions.
Playing in 5th and 4th one can't bend as freely, but that's ok because you can do more with movement from note to note instead of bending so much. It's a different approach, which also gets you out of playing the SOS.
@bonedog: 5B 7B 6D (x2) / 8D 7B 6D (x2) / 7D 7D 7D 7B 6D 7B 6D is the head to "Equinox"--Eb harp 4th position. You can transpose the head down to the low register if you can hit 3D** on pitch. But a lot of times i just stay up top. You can really fly around soloing up there because you don't need to bend anything. So you can pretty much play at sax speed.
Edit: I cleaned up an inaccuracy in the tab.
Last Edited by on Nov 30, 2011 5:55 PM
@@ hvyj - sounds to me like it's (equinox) in Db/C# - then fourth would be E and fifth A (if I'm counting right) - I can't get it work with an Eb at all, - but it does with and E, an A, pretty well and in second on an F# too.
Here's another mellow groove tune I just got on to. Ben Sidran doing "Dylan Different" - in Bb
@MP: Yep. That's it. It's not difficult, and as you say, it works really well.
As a general rule, when you are playing in 5th D5 and D9 are avoid notes. That's the flat second and unless you are playing flamenco style material or a tune like Nora Jones' "I've Got to See You Again" they are notes that usually don't work all that well, but it's not a disaster if you hit one by mistake. If you need major second you can get it at 2D* and 9B*.
@ Bart - sweet as pie - I've come to expect nothing less from you though. Can't find the CD for sale on itunes or anywhere else. I would at least buy that cut - and probably more.
You start off on Chromatic - then move to a Bb harp 3'd position?? ----------
@bonedog: The musicians i play with always do "Equinox" in C minor and i use an Eb harp in 4th. But if it's played in C# then an E harp would work. i like the breath patterns in 4th for "Equinox."
I really like Ben Sidran. He also does a killer version of the Steve Miller Band tune, "Space Cowboy." But the way he does "Highway 61" sort of reminds me of Mose Allison. I'd never heard this one before. Very cool. Thanks!
Hitting the 3D** dead on pitch is ridiculously easy on the new Eb Quicksilver custom GM I just got from HarpNinja. The precision on the bends with one of Mike's harps is unbelievably good.
