Other web Sites
Harmonica Blues  Harmonica Amps
Harmonica Links Harmonica Pages
• Archives Home
• Years
 · 1992
 · 1993
 · 1994
 · 1995
 · 1996
 · 1997 		 · 1998
 · 1999
 · 2000
 · 2001
 · 2002
 · 2003
 
Web HarpL
Ebay Searches:
Amps:
Microphones:
Effects:
Harmonicas and Gear:
Harmonica Music and Instruction:

 

 

Harp-L Archives

[Previous Message] [Next Message]
[Previous in Thread] [Next in Thread]
[Start of Thread] [End of Thread]

From: Mike Curtis
Date: Fri, 30 Aug 1996 04:00:04 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: Advantages of 2nd position

On Thu, 29 Aug 1996, Michael Will wrote:



I know this will surprise a lot of you, but I agree that second position
has a lot to offer. I use it quite a bit myself. My cuts on the Harp-L I
and II are both second position.

My main contention is NOT with second position itself. It's with the fact
that second position is not everything, as we might believe by listening
to the majority of short harp tunes, especially blues. I've heard stuff
in second position that was wrong for that position, but because the
player knew only second position, that's where it was done.

I'm not trying to convince everyone that playing second position is wrong.
Just that there is a LOT more in that little harp than draw-2 and the
lower 6 draw notes, even without using overblows or valves. But adding in
these extra notes really expands your harp possibilities.

> There's been a lot of talk lately about the advantages of playing the
> short harp in various positions and not switching keys.

I don't switch harps, but that's just me. It's probably not right for
most others, but it's right for me. I also make little use of harmonica
chords, but plenty of others use them to great advantage. I prefer the
pucker embouchure to tongue block for myself, but my students use pucker,
tongue block, and my latest "discovered" V-block on his own, and I'm
encouraging him to work with that. I also prefer my old Fender silverface
Champ, Lexicon Vortex, Boss OctaPlus, and everything else I as an
individual have chosen. Others may think these stink on ice - for THEM -
and they'll get no argument from me. But I use and love this gear myself.
It works for ME.

As far as second position, I like it. But I also think that most players
are overly dependent on it, to the point that they compromise their
playing and creativity by trying to "force" it into everything they play.
They frequently get into a rut, where "everything sounds the same". A
very easy way to break out of the rut is to use other positions. And
using other positions will enhance your second position playing as well.
If you listen closely to my soloing on the harp-l tapes, or my tape,
you'll notice that I frequently play some unusual sounding melodic licks.
On some of these, you'll find that the licks are of a contrasting chord or
scale. By playing different positions, I have more licks and ideas to use
in second position. I use licks as well as notes in my solos.

So don't abandon second position. But don't abandon the others, either.
There's a LOT of great music in the other 11 positions. Playing in first,
third, and fourth positions is trivial for any decent 2nd position player.
5th, 6th, and 12th are easy as well. For minor stuff, it's hard to beat
3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th positions.

Of course, you can use the minor tuned harps. But there's a lot to be
said for being able to use both methods.

> As IronMan points out, play notes, not positions. So, if you've got a
> harp that gives you more notes and more chords and more techniques...why
> not use it?
>
> Bottom line--IMO use the position that suits the music best. Without
> good control of valved bends or overblows/draws, 2nd position is going
> to win out most often for blues, rock, and country.

I'll admit that good control and the extra notes afforded by valving or
overblowing make some positions a lot more useful. But I'll STILL take an
unvalved harp (with no overblows) and 6th position for "The thrill Is
Gone" any day over second position. As far as I'm concerned, that song
could not have been purposely written for 6th position any better.

> And, if you want to play minor blues, Georgia, or Summertime--there's
> always the natural minor harps...

Or the "proper" positions for them :-)

> Anyone want to 2nd this proposition?

I don't think it needs anything so "political" :-) Most harp players will
be better off with a full selection of harps. And IMHO most would be a
lot better off learning to use the other positions. In this case, more is
better, regardless of whose "more" you choose, be it more harps or more
technique.


-- IronMan Mike Curtis
New Cassette available - email for details