Re: [Harp-L] re: so you want to be a harp player

["Jonathan Metts" <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I only have harps in eight keys, although I would get the rest if I could 
afford them and had the time to set them all up.  I'm not highly motivated 
to do so, when they are almost never needed in the music I play.  But I'm 
not necessarily content with the music I currently play.  :-)

If you are a new player and (like me) can't spend a lot of money on 
harmonicas, it is extremely useful to learn how to play in multiple 
positions.  This will let you get a lot more mileage out of a limited set of 
harps.  Also, the type of music you play has a lot to do with it.  If you're 
showing up at blues jams, you can probably get by on three harps almost 
every time.  If you're playing more complex stuff, it's more likely that you 
will need an "odd" key or will need to switch harps mid-song, as was 
mentioned earlier.

One thing I'm really into now is switching harps during a song even if the 
key isn't changing.  I like to start on third position and then go to second 
position for my big solo, or vice-versa (if I'm feeling saucy).  On 
something like "All Along the Watchtower", it's fun to play rhythm in second 
position and then take a solo in fourth position, like how Dylan played it. 
I almost never play first at the blues jam, but I should venture more into 
that territory, as I enjoy playing in first when I practice at home.

Jonathan Metts