[Harp-L] Playing in majors/minors

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Bill Kumpe writes:

I'm kind of a simple method player. For the most part I play first,  
second and third position only. Somebody correct me if I am wrong but  
isn't the "easy" minor the third position aka "slant harp", one step  
up from the key of the harp?

Bill,

Using third position is the conventional wisdom for playing a Richter  
tuned harmonica in a minor key and is supposed to be good for blues.

Well, in my experience, for certain minor key material third works  
fine. Fifth position also sounds great for minor key blues, and  
sounds BETTER for NATURAL minor key blues than third position. You  
CAN use third for natural minor but you've got to be careful to avoid  
the major 6th which is limiting.

After i learned fifth position, I became able to play all sorts of  
material i could never play on a diatonic before, and i found that I  
could play more fluidly and musically on minor tunes using fifth. I  
didn't have to play the harmonica like it was a harmonica. It changed  
how i thought about playing the instrument and how i approached  
playing minor key material

You know, learning multiple positions is just learning to play the  
harmonica in different keys, which is something most players of other  
instruments do as a matter of course.  I don't OB, so i can't play a  
harmonica in 12 keys.  But i can play in 6 positions. And i don't  
consider it something that's difficult to do or "advanced."  There  
are common breath patterns that work in different positions, and it's  
really just a matter of knowing what hole to start on and what hole  
is what degree of the scale in which position. It's not rocket  
science and doesn't require sophisticated musical knowledge--just a  
basic understanding of scales (or a good ear, which i am not blessed  
with).

IMHO, third position is a useful way to play CERTAIN minor key  
material but is not a "one size fits all"  approach playing in minor  
keys.  You really limit what you can play if you ONLY use third to  
play in minor keys. And playing in third is not particularly "easy."   
Fifth position is actually easier to play than second or third  
because there are fewer bends required.

Think about it.

FWIW.

JP