Recent Topic of Higher Positions

[WYKS@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Re Girton's Question and George's Posting.
One main use of higher positions is in jazz harp playing, in "chord running"
or running chord changes.  You have a lot of different cadences (chord
changes), not just the I-IV-V changes of 12-bar blues.  And during each
chord, a jazz player will improvise using some mode of the scale belonging
to that chord (i.e., starting with the root note of that chord.)  So a jazz
player, playing even 12-bar blues in the key of E, on an A-harp, might
improvise during the IV-chord measures (A) using first position, and during
the V-chord (B) measures using  3rd position.  In blues it doesn't make so
much difference, because the pentatonic scales of these chords overlap so
much.  But for the more exotic chords of jazz, the distinctive scales are
used to go with each chord, and you need the higher positions.  You can
improvise with a chord without using all the notes of a scale; but you have
to know what notes fit the chord (or are dissonant in a neat way rather than
a klutzy way).  Ergo Howard Levy.  I'm just getting into this world, and
can talk this  more than I can play it; I hope I'm not screwing things up
too much.
-Steve at Calvin