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From: fjm/cja
Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1996 21:33:48 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Re: Advantages of 2nd pos

Ted Welter asks if there's anyone who's comfortable in 3rd position that
likes the natural minor tunings. I do, I love the natural minor
tunings. As Mic'l points out you get more playable notes. All 10 holes
of the harmonica are useable on a natural minor. My band does a tune in
D minor that I play both on the natural minor tuning and in 3rd position
on a solo tuned Marine Band or Chromatic. I'll switch back and forth in
mid phrase so I guess I'm comfortable in 3rd. What I like about the 3rd
stuff is the dark chords and the mournful notes, with the natural minor I
get a much more readily playable lead with more choices and lighter
sounding chords. The other thing about 3rd is that it really doesn't
fit. I'm playing dorian against the natural minor and sometimes I like
that and other times it's just too clunky a feel for what I'm trying to
communicate. Bottom line is the fact that the natural minors are great
for playing the melody. If it's lyricism you're after these things are
great.

While we're on the subject of minor key harmonicas I'll add that I really
like the harmonic minors too. I bought one by accident about 15 years ago
and loved it from the get go. A whole bunch of fun to play solo and
there is folk stuff written in these keys. You get the clarinet note for
Klezmer. What more could you ask for??? fjm