Re: [Harp-L] Fifth?

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think the venerable Warren Bee spends a LOT of time killing song after song in 5th. Personally, I've never spent enough time there to get comfortable..

Warren? 

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.
 TeraBlu Band on My Space
http://www.myspace.com/terablu




________________________________
From: John F. Potts <hvyj@xxxxxxx>
To: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>; Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, April 6, 2010 4:32:06 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Ninth?

Per Larry Marks:

Why one would focus on the difficult 3rd position instead of the much easier and more useful 4th (relative minor).

Per Michael Rubin:

I see 3rd as much easier and more useful than 4th.  We are all
different in how we learn.  To me, 3rd is like put a guitar capo up
the harmonica neck two holes up from cross harp.  It also has more
rock out potential than 4th, imo.

Maestros:

Why play 4th or 3d when you can play 5th?  5th has all the considerable advantages of 4th (except for the lack of a major second in 5th) and  all the rock out potential of 3d and is EASIER and more useful than 3d  because there are not as many bends and there is no major sixth to worry about.  It's like playing 2d except it's easier than 2d (not as many bends). You just use blow 2 for root instead of blow 3.

Okay, if i need a major second, i'll use 4th and if I'm playing dorian minor, I'll use 3d.  Otherwise, 5th is my first choice for minor key playing by a wide margin.   Very easy, very bluesy, very flexible and, IMHO, very underused. Despite the conventional wisdom, I find 3d more problematic than useful for most minor key playing (unless the material is dorian minor).  For natural minor, I'll use 4th before i'll use 3d, but I'll always use 5th as my first choice (unless the melody includes a major two, in which case I'll use 4th).  For me, 3d is usually a distant third choice. But, YMMV.

JP