12th position = 1st Flat Position

["George Brooks" <gbrooks1@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am with Mike Will on this one (Hi, Mike!).  To me, the use of the word
"flat" in relation to positions simply denotes the direction you move along
the circle of fifths, nothing more.

As others have noted, the circle of fifths is a very useful way to think
about positions.  At the top of the circle is first position, a.k.a.
straight harp.  On a C harp, the major key associated with this position is
C major (no sharps/no flats).  For each step clockwise along the circle of
fifths, the root note of the major scale associated with the new position
goes up a musical fifth and a sharp is added.  Thus in second position,
a.k.a. cross harp, the root note is G (a fifth above C).  The key of G major
has one sharp.  Move one position further clockwise to third position and
the root note is D.  The key of D major has two sharps.  And so on.

You can, of course, move two ways along the perimeter of a circle.  For each
step counterclockwise (or anti-clockwise as some say) along the circle of
fifths, the root note of the major scale associated with the new position
goes down a musical fifth and a flat is added.  Thus in first flat position,
the root note (on a C harp) is F (a fifth below C).  The key of F major has
one flat.  Move another position counterclockwise and the root note is Bb.
The key of Bb major has two flats.  And so on.

Here's the first crucial thing to me:  If I have a C harp in my hand, I
believe I am playing in second position whether I am playing in G major or G
minor.  Second position on a C harp means that I am using G as my root note,
but it implies nothing about major or minor.  Third position means the root
note is D (on a C harp).  First flat means the root note is F (on a C harp).
All without regard to major and minor.

So far, so good, I hope.  But now we come to the troublesome terminology of
"X flat."  Here's the second crucial thing: to me: "X Flat position" simply
means I move X steps from first position along the circle of fifths ***in
the "flat" direction***, which is to say, counterclockwise.  "X" will also,
as it happens, be the number of flats in the associated major key.  But "X
flat" is not, in my understanding, a reference to every key or scale that
happens to contain X flats (the terminology is, for example, "second flat
position," not "two flats position").

The convention of "X flat position" is undoubtedly useful.  I can orient
myself to "fourth flat position" a lot easier and quicker than I can to
"ninth position" (which is what you get by going clockwise), and there is
the added benefit of immediately knowing the number of flats in the
associated major scale.  Moreover, viewed in this way ("X flat" refers only
to the direction you move along the circle of fifths), it is completely
accurate.

George