GamblersHand
2 posts
Apr 20, 2009
3:30 AM
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hey there. I sing & play in a covers band after a fair few years of blues/soul/funk bands - all great fun though don't get to play so much harmonica.
So if only to entertain myself I often try adding a little harp to songs which you wouldn't expect it so much i.e. not the usual bluesy Stones songs. I'm mainly a 2nd position player, though can bluff a little 3rd position.
One I've been suprised with is the old Counting Crows chestnut "Mr Jones". It's in Am, so after trying a G and D harp without much success, I found that an "F" works fantastically well. I guess I'm playing 5th position (a first for me) although the chorus in certainly more major so that's my usual 2nd position playing.
Has anybody discovered other contemporary non-bluesy rock/pop songs which sit nicely for harp?
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the frozen canuck
27 posts
Apr 20, 2009
8:39 AM
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hey there GamblersHand,the little band i`m with ,we do Mat Mayes ,city of lakes on a D harp It sounds pretty darn good ,if i don`t say so my self
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GamblersHand
4 posts
Apr 20, 2009
10:58 AM
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@ Buddha
Interesting, I've tried to play some 12th position, I find it a little easier, or at least more natural to me, than 1st position. 11th is a total unknown for me, presumably Bb as tonic on a C harp.
Curious why you pick 11th/12th positions. 12th position is quite major sounding so I guess suits a lot of pop and rock. I'm sure it's not just to have a major 7th in the scale (without OBs)?. How do you characterise the sound of 11th/12th?
@ the frozen canuck
Thanks - didn't know Matt Mayes but since then have checked it out. Nice song, I think it'd suit a C-harp? What do you play?
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Preston
287 posts
Apr 20, 2009
11:10 AM
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This little harmonica we all play is such a wonderful instrument. Jon Gindick says "5 minutes to play, 5 years to master." Well I'm on 2.5 years and I'm not to sure I'm gonna have it mastered in 2.5 more.
To the best of my knowledge the term we use as "Intonation" means getting all your notes (especially bends and overblows) to be in pitch with all the others across the harp.
My question to Chris is: if a guy has perfect intonation, why would it matter if you played 2nd position opposed to 11th or 12th? If you leave out all of the idiosyncrocies of the Blues sound (like letting a little of the 4draw sound on the 3draw, letting the 5 in on the 4draw, etc etc) and get down to pure, clean single notes, why does a different position still affect the way it sounds? Notes are notes right?
I can hear the differences in myself when I play 12th position, but can a guy achieve perfect intonation to where the position doesn't come into account? Or is it impossible to get the harsh, gritty sound out of 2nd position?
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Buddha
273 posts
Apr 20, 2009
1:11 PM
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Preston,
its not about notes or intonnation... it's about the sweet spots and how you can phrase things. 2nd position is perfect for accentuating blues. I wouldn't dare play a traditional style blues in 12th unless I only had one harp.
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GamblersHand
5 posts
Apr 20, 2009
1:32 PM
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Chris - I've found your youtube on 11th position, which certainly is illuminating. Absolutely stunning playing by the way, love the variety and dynamics of your phrasing.
I've also found this old harp-l post from Winslow Yerxa, which could be useful for those out there like me who want to understand the theory a little more.
http://www.harp-l.com/pipermail/harp-l/1995-March/msg00202.html
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the frozen canuck
28 posts
Apr 21, 2009
8:54 AM
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hey GamblersHand ,on that tune i use a D harp in what i believe to be in second position
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GamblersHand
6 posts
Apr 21, 2009
4:33 PM
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Hi Frozen Canuck - so you did, sorry should learn to, y'know, read.
That said, do you guys play it in the original key? The chords Em/C/G and D/C/G looks like G to me, and it seems to sit nicely on a C crossed to my ears, at least going by the youtube version - unless maybe you're playing 12th? Anyway - any more non-blues track suggestions which work well with cross harp would be most appreciated.
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