Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic

[Cara Cooke <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

With respect to Michael Rubin, he stated that he made the video as an
example of what could be done, not what should be done.  The video was to
demonstrate that the instrument has as its limits the player playing it.
Most of us have devised something over the years to demonstrate that the
harmonica is not just a toy -- that it can have range if you put in the
effort to control it.  Assuming that Michael plays 12 keys in a single song
all the time or as anything other than a demonstration of his control over
the harmonica is silly.

By the way, one of the most spectacular and memorable fiddle moments in
Mark O'Conner's performances when he was younger was a showpiece moment in
"Orange Blossom Special" (a tune, itself, specifically devised decades
ago to showcase the fiddle).  Somewhere in the blue train vamp, before he
moved on to the really fast melodic portion, he played the theme from "The
Flintstones" with each phrase ascending one half step from the last until
he was back where he started.  He did it with the panache to carry it off
and make it musical.  Even in a repeated performance, when you knew it was
coming, the end result always got a smile from the audience.  It was sort
of a "PDQ Bach" moment for bluegrass.

Cara


On Mon, Apr 2, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> What about sub-modes ie dorian vs sub-dorian ie doria on diatonic vs
> dorian on chromo and on and on
> What I think is the bottom line is TASTE. Good taste vs bad taste. If a
> person wants to demonstrate that something can be done does not mean it
> will come off with tastefulness. Oh yes, the fact that one can go through
> the math and be technically correct does NOT mean that what comes out the
> other end will sound good on a harmonica. If playing in all 12 keys on one
> harmonica is considered a tasteful thing then I am going to gag myself with
> a spoon. This is Micheal R just showing off his respected wealth of music
> theory applied to an instrument that is very limited in the real world. Pie
> in the sky junk that just does not work on harmonica with good taste. The
> video definitely demonstrates this.
> Buck Worley
>
> > To: ndavid.coulson@xxxxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> > From: icemanle@xxxxxxx
> > Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:53:18 -0400
> > CC:
>  >
> > sounds like you are getting it, at least from my understanding of the
> definitions used by Michael.
> >
> >
> > Position playing on harmonica (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) can be related to the
> modes or not, depending on your skill in creating notes through bending
> techniques. If I play 3rd position on a "C" harmonica, I am playing in the
> key of "D". Now, if I just play in the mid range of the diatonic w/out
> using any bending techniques, it can be described as the dorian mode in the
> key of "D". If I substitute 5 hole inhale with 5 hole overblow, now I am
> playing a mixolydian mode in "D". If I add a 7 hole overdraw, it becomes
> ionian mode in the key of "D".
> >
> >
> > All of these can be considered 3rd position playing, although most may
> consider 3rd position playing on diatonic to be that minor sounding dorian
> mode. So, if your skills are good, you can fool the average harmonica
> player to a point where it might be difficult for them to figure out where
> you are on the harmonica or they assume you are using a non-richter tuned
> one. (I pulled this type of playing on Phil Wiggins at Augusta Heritage
> during an evening jam. He grabbed the harmonica out of my hand to see if it
> was altered as he couldn't figure out how I did what I did).
> >
> >
> > This is a bit of an advanced approach using advanced techniques, so here
> is where position and modes overlap, in a sense.
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: ndavid.coulson <ndavid.coulson@xxxxxxxxx>
> > To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>; The Iceman <
> icemanle@xxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Sat, Mar 31, 2012 10:13 am
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> >
> >
> > I'm trying to understand this myself. Is there a difference between
> "playing in positions", where, for example, on a C harp you play the notes
> of the C scale but starting with the root note of G (Mixolydian mode of C),
> and playing in the KEY of G on a C harp? Maybe Michael is describing the
> former and Larry is describing the latter. In other words, when playing
> positionally aren't you primarily using and emphasizing all the notes of
> the 1st position (major) scale regardless of what position you're playing
> in, which is what creates distinctive sound of the mode? Whereas when you
> play in a key, you're adding the sharps and flats that enable you to play a
> major (or minor) scale in that particular key, regardless of the key of the
> harp you're playing. Please tell me if this is wrong. I'm not sure if my
> grasp of music theory is correct!
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > David
> >
> >
> >
> > On Mar 30, 2012, at 3:56 PM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> >
> > Larry,
> > This time I disagree with you.  Is the band playing in a key, at least
> > for a portion of the song?  Are you using a richter diatonic harp?
> > Then you are playing in a position.  Position are numbered by the
> > relationship of the key the band is playing in to the name of the harp
> > as measured by the amount of times moved clockwise in the circle of
> > fifths.  No amount of saying "I've moved a little past positions" can
> > change that you play in positions . . .
> >
> >
> > Michael Rubin
> > Michaelrubinharmonica.com
> > http://youtu.be/aCbDxn5a3xI
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 9:19 AM, The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > Pretty much depends on the individual.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I can, but find certain positions to be not too useful for most
> scenarios.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > In a way, I've moved a little past "position" and just go for the notes
> that I need wherever they may live.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>