RE: Positions, chromatics, jams and an unholy mess

["Scorcher" <s_c_o_r_c_h_e_r@xxxxxxx>]

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Crowley" <Mark.Crowley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 6:28 PM
Subject: Re: Positions, chromatics, jams and an unholy mess


>
> hi
>
> Been falling on my face at jams too much lately
<SNIP>

My face hurts, too, bruddah!
>
> there is a belief out there that all songs can be played either
cross or straight harp.

<SNIP>
>
> Have been learning 3rd position and lately 4th and 5th position.....

Yeah - that's the ticket! (I've even found 12th position useful!)
Y'don't have to overblow to play positions (Listen to Charlie
Musselwhite).

> 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.

Get a good pitchpipe & a Circle of Fifths chart - save you a lot o'
time. Positions ARE the remedy.

>
> Does a single chromatic solve these problems?

NO
<SNIP>

>  (I realise we are talking about going back to square one and years
and years of work here)
YES

<SNIP>
> (lets not talk about overblows on diatonics, please - i will never
be the guy that plays 12 keys on a diatonic)

Hey, I'm with you...but 4 keys is planty do-able, maybe more as I
learn more...


> 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?
>

Find out the common keys, yes, LO minors, no - use 3rd & 5th position
for that.

> or should i buy a chrom in C and start learning my scales all over
again?

Nah - Chros are fun to blay blues on - but hone your 'tonic chops
first - learn some more positions & hang out in the woodshed 'till you
feel more comfortable with them.


> mark

Have FUN with it, bruddah!
- -Scorcher