Re: How many harps do I need ? HarpL Archives

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From: Mike Curtis
Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 21:25:50 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: Re: How many harps do I need ?

On Tue, 8 Oct 1996, Harmonica John Frazer wrote:

> At 2:32 PM 10/8/96, Mike Curtis wrote:
> >On Tue, 8 Oct 1996, Harmonica John Frazer wrote:
> >
> >> At 1:17 PM 10/8/96, Mike Curtis wrote:
> >> ..., it is trivial to play
> >> >one harmonica in several keys. First position (labeled key) and second
> >> >position (a fifth above labeled key) are quite common. Third position is
> >> >also fairly easy (a whole tone above labeled key). This alone can cut
> >> >your harmonica requirements.
> >>
> >> The different positions sound different. Try playing major scales on an
> >> unvalved(that is to say the vast majority of all) harmonica in third,
> >> fourth, or fifth position.
> >
> >Most blues players use a flatted third a lot, ergo 3rd/4th/5th positions
> >work just fine.
>
> Read it again, Mike. I specifically said a major scale. Last time I checked
> there were no flatted 3rds in a major scale. But then, I'm just the
> harmonica player.

Nah - I read it just fine the first time. I simply disagree that major
scales are all that essential to playing blues, and the erroneous IMHO
conclusion it might lead us to - that we do indeed REQUIRE 12 harps to
play in 12 keys.

If most blues players had to choose strictly between ALL major or ALL
minor scales for leads and soloing, which do you think would win out? I
know which _I_ would choose, and I know pretty well what most harmonica
and guitar players that I know would go for.

Virtually all blues players superimpose pentatonic minor scales over major
chords, e.g. over a C major chord, C, Eb, F, G, Bb. Because of this,
minor scales work flawlessly. I think a lot of blues players stay away
from first position precisely because it has TOO much of a major sound.
Second position is popular in part because the third can be easily bent
into a minor. I use minor scales most of the time for blues - even though
I'm perfectly capable of playing third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, etc.,
positions as majors - and in fact I do indeed have songs I play in each of
these positions that are major scales. I also play songs in 1st, 2nd,
10th, 11th, and 12th positions (all of which have naturally occurring
major thirds) using minor scales.

My point is, even if the scale is minor, there's still plenty of good,
valid music you can make with it, even in a major key signature.

In blues, jazz, and rock, a good basic rule of thumb is that you can
virtually always play a minor scale over a major chord, but you cannot
play a major scale over a minor chord. Of course, there are exceptions
such as major sevenths, etc., but it's a good general indicator.

While I acknowledge that most blues players would be lost without a dozen
diatonics, I simmply wanted to present the "other" side of the coin. I
feel perfectly comfoprtable with one harp, and absolutely like I'm King of
the Hill should I be permitted the luxury of two of 'em.

And I don't consider this an exceptional skill, either. The ONLY thing
holding back everyone else is the silly notion that it can't be done by
mere mortals. It can. It's EASY. And it's a LOT of FUN! All anyone has
to do is put away the quaint notion that harp MUST be done in second
position otherwise you aren't a REAL man, and spend a little time becoming
familiar with the "new" scales.

Jon Gindick covers positions in his books. So does David Harp. Both are
noted for presenting harmonica in a very user-friendly manner. I submit
this as strong evidence that these techniques are indeed within the
abilities of the average harmonica player.

-- IronMan Mike Curtis
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