[Harp-L] teach position playing



Robert,

I'm not an instructor, but I'm self taught and I play proficiently in 5 positions and use them regularly when performing. i have no formal music training. I learned 3d, 4th and 5th by first learning the minor pentatonic scale in each of those positions. That scale is relatively easy to play in each of those positions (and in 2d position, which provided a frame of reference) and that was my starting point. FWIW, that's how i learned. But another effective approach would be to have the student learn to play the same 2 or 3 simple recognizable tunes in each of these positions which would not necessarily require the player to learn scales.

Here's an excerpt from post i put up a couple of months ago about my thoughts on this subject (i realize i focus on scales and that's what you are asking about, but here it is anyway):

FWIW, I've always been puzzled about why harmonica instructional materials usually teach first and second position, and then treat third position as something more advanced and fourth and fifth positions as really advanced if dealt with at all.

I'm self taught. But it would seem to me more effective to teach/ learn these 5 positions more or less simultaneously so the player learns what to do with the instrument in order understand how its tonal layout works and how it can be used to play different types of material. Trying to teach/learn the blues scale? It's technically much easier for a beginner to play it in third position than in second. But almost all instructional materials start with teaching blues in second.

The same bending techniques apply to all positions equally. Struggling to learn to bend? Struggle in fifth for a while as well as in second as you are learning. In certain positions there are not as many available chords, but scales are scales. Learn the blues, minor pentatonic or major pentatonic (country) scale in each position as you learn them for the first time. It's not difficult to do.

Harmonica players as a group would be more musical if they learned or were taught multiple positions more or less simultaneously. They'd also play better because they would be able to select the harmonica that best works for the material being played instead of being limited by the tones available in the couple of positions that they know about, or looking like a deer caught in the headlights if the band calls a minor key.

It's not very difficult if each position is approached from the beginning instead of some of them being thought of a something more advanced. For example if a player can play in second, fifth should be no problem. But i haven't seen any instructional material that approaches harmonica pedagogy in this manner. i certainly can't figure out why not.

Just an opinion.

JP



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