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: Hunterha~ol.com
Date: Sat, 7 Sep 1996 09:23:56 -0400
Subject: Re: 3rd position vs. Natural Minor Keys

Kurt Squire wrote:
" I personally love third position am developing an affinity for
fourth as well. If you've got either of these down pretty well, then I
wouldn't bother with the minors. I will sat that the full minor chords
on the natural minor Lee Oskars sound pretty cool, and there are some
licks that you just really can't quite reproduce in third or fourth
position. Still, you probably can achieve most of the same effects
playing in third or fourth position, and certainly have a much wider
variety of options combining third and fourth, in my humble opinion."

I could not disagree with Mr. Squire more. He notes that the full minor
chords on the Lee Oskar sound cool, and then says you can "probably achieve
most of the same effects playing in third or fourth position." The short
answer is that the chords he mentions cannot be played in third or fourth
position on a standard-tuned diatonic, period. A player who wants a full
range of chord voicings over three octaves for ALL the changes in a minor
blues will only be able to get it by using a natural minor harp. Not only
that: using natural minors allows bending of strong chord tones (for all the
changes in a minor blues) throughout a much wider range. Both third and
fourth position are mostly useful for lead work, and in this respect they are
not noticeably superior to second position on a natural minor. (That said,
of course any position offers certain effects that are unavailable with other
techniques. A good player will not avoid one in favor of the other; he or
she will pick the one that's right for the material.)

I am baffled by the refusal of many harmonica players to expand the range of
sounds and emotions available to them by using alternatively-tuned
instruments. It is so easy to do, and adds so much to the player's emotional
range; I simply do not understand why so many players are apparently eager to
ignore this low-hanging fruit.