Re: Positions

[Bill Long <LONGWJ@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>From: George Boziwick <0005726471@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>        I enjoy playing in minor  keys, particularly
>        playing on a harp that is pitched in the relative
>        major of what the band is in. (eg. if the band is
>        playing a slow d minor blues, I'll play on an F
>        harp.   What position is this?
>
>        I am only familiar with positions 1-4.  What are
>        all of them and how does the circle of fifths idea
>        work with positions. (do you count by fifths, thus
>        adding sharps or do you count by fourths, adding
>        flats).

Well George, from what I can gather you (generally) count up by fifths to
reach each next position...

        1st position - same key as designated on harp (C on a C harp)

        2nd position - up a fifth from the designated key (G on a C harp)
                        (also called cross-harp)

        3rd position - up another fifth (D on a C harp)
                        this position plays the dorian mode...like playing
                        a scale on the piano starting on D and only using
                        the white keys

        4th position - up another fifth (A on a C harp)
                        A is the relative minor of C...like playing a scale
                        on the piano starting on A and only using the white
                        keys

        5th position - up another fifth (E on a C harp)
                        this position plays the phrygian (sp?) mode...like
                        playing a scale on the piano starting on E and only
                        using the white keys.  The 2nd note of this mode is
                        a flat II (on a C harp that would be the draw5, an
                        F natural) and dosen't always sound very good so you
                        have to avoid playing that note

I'm a little shaky about the last two but I listed them here so they
followed the convention of going up a fifth to the next position.  I played
for years before I got on this list or talked to other harp players...I
used to think of the positions based on what step of the harps designated
scale the key I was playing in was...so cross-harp was V, the dorian mode was
II, the phrygian mode was III, the relative minor was VI, and straight was I
...but that's `cause I played trumpet first and knew a little theory when I
started.

Hope I got it right

billong