Re: [Harp-L] Re: Positions and Tunings from the beginning

[Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rick,

My belief in favor of multiple and concurrent learning comes from playing
Pedal Steel Guitar.

(Harp players, stay with me a moment; you'll recognize the mechanical
analogy.)

My first pedal steel was E9th 10 string, 3 pedals, 1 knee lever, and I
played it for 10 years. All my skills and habits and licks were defined by
that set of possibilities. You can play a LOT of great music on that
"little" guitar.

My next steel was a E9/B6 Universal 12 string, 7 pedals, 5 knee levers, and
a wrist lever. After a decade of "3+1" it was very difficult to incorporate
the choices available on the new guitar!

Learning new songs helped me use the new changes. The new skills then
crossed back over to the old songs, and everything improved over the next 10
years. I propose that similar benefits are available to harp students.

Current students get an early exposure to positions 1-5. How long they stay
with each, and how deep they go, depends on the music they desire to
express.

Some have adopted LO Melody Maker and Natural Minor with their standard
diatonic kit, because I demonstrated the sound and advantages. One student
has started on his first Spiral that I tuned up for him.

He's so good, I think I'll introduce 27th position next. (Some of you are
thinking of drawing a cartoon right now, aren't you?)

Stay well
Play well

Robert Hale is the DUKE of WAIL
Distance Learning via Webcam
http://www.dukeofwail.com
Gilbert AZ (Phoenix)