[Harp-L] Re: Blues Jam Harmonicas

["Jonathan Metts" <jonathan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Craig,

Looks like you're missing the E harp; you should definitely pick up one of those to complete the natural keys in 1st and 2nd position (hence the Bb harp for playing in F).  That's all I own and all I take to blues jams, and I've never been asked to play a song that I couldn't handle on one of those.  Of course I want to get all 12 keys as soon as possible, but my harp budget is about three per year, and usually one of those is a replacement.  That's not only a money issue but also a time issue, as I pour several hours into each one of my harps for customization.

If you want to play a minor song in 2nd position, the rule of thumb is to avoid the 3 draw unbent and the 7 draw.  HOWEVER, there are many exceptions to that rule, so don't think it is set in stone.  But to get a really minor sound, you're better off playing in 3rd position.  If the song is in B minor, play an A harp in 3rd position and it will sound great.  The middle octave blues scale in 3rd position is 4 draw, 5 draw, 6 blow, 6 draw bend, 6 draw, 7 blow, and then 8 draw is back to the tonic.  This is an easy and fun way to play the blues, because you can bend holes 4 and 6 all day long, and you have partial bends on 5 and 7 to add flair.  (See, I did learn something at Rockers!)

Jonathan