Re: Positions, chromatics, jams and an unholy mess

["dfwhoot" <dfwhoot@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mark , first of all, don't ask a guitar player what key you should be
playing in, just what key the song is in . A good key chart is your best pal
to keep with you in situations like this.Get one , laminate it , study it
and rely on it.
All songs are not to be played in first or second positions. All songs are
not written in these major modes. If the song is written or played in a
minor position then play the song in a minor position. Remember all
positions are in minor modes besides 1st and 2nd which are major. Experiment
playing these in the different modes and feel the difference.

About the switching to a chro.. I don't think this will solve your problem.
It's learning the instrument for what it is and it's capabilities.
Hope this helped .
Jerl Welch



- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Crowley" <Mark.Crowley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 8:28 PM
Subject: Re: Positions, chromatics, jams and an unholy mess


>
> hi
>
> Been falling on my face at jams too much lately  - 3/4s of the music
played isn't blues -  its all minor key "new rock" (not that I mind the
different music)
>
> there is a belief out there that all songs can be played either cross or
straight harp. If yr lucky and the guitarist does happen to know what key
the piece is in they'll always demand thats the same key harp yu need.  Eg,
if it's a song in A you obviously need an A harp. simple - quit yr whining.
>
> Have been learning 3rd position and lately 4th and 5th position..... to
try and maintain a semblance of playing in key
>
> This is still no remedy - its taking up to half the song to figure out
what I should be playing - juggling up to 3 or 4 harps - or walking away in
disgust playing nothing at all.
>
> Does a single chromatic solve these problems?
>
> At least a single chromatic can provide you with all the notes to learn
lots and lots of scales in different modes and keys -  doesn't it? (I
realise we are talking about going back to square one and years and years of
work here)
>
> But don't chroms have different layouts too.. in diff keys... so you are
still going to possibly require an armory of those? (lets not talk about
overblows on diatonics, please - i will never be the guy that plays 12 keys
on a diatonic)
>
> whats the point of a valved diatonic (suzuki promasters) versus a
chromatic?
>
> should i be looking at determining the most common keys these characters
are playing in and fitting up with those minor key LO's instead?
>
> or should i buy a chrom in C and start learning my scales all over again?
> or do I buy 3 chroms in different keys as well?
>
> I've been looking at key charts, scale charts, harp charts until my pupils
are spinning..
>
> Wile E Coyote -  falling off that cliff into space every day - thats me.
>
> mark
>
>
>
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