Re: Re: 12th position = 1st Flat Position

["Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

- --- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, IcemanLE@xxxx wrote:
In a message dated 6/12/03 12:04:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
winslowyerxa@xxxx writes:


> This works fine if you are playing a C-harp (no flats in C major) 
and 
> want to play in F Major (one flat in the scale).
> 
> But what if you are playing F minor on a C-harp? F minor has 4 
flats, 
> so "first flat" is not an accurate description.
> 

>At these Augusta brain storming session, we weren't concerned with 
>creating a textbook accurate description in a technical/music theory 
>sense.
>
>We just wanted to come up with another term that would point towards 
>an understanding of position playing.

I understand. But you can also see how it might point away from 
understanding for those trying to understand music theory.

>For example, "overblow" is not a technically correct term for what 
>is going on, as this is actually a "blow-bend". However, it has 
>become accepted as a word describing the technique used to create 
>these notes on a diatonic harmonica.

True. However, the fact that overblows work differently on a 
harmonica to how they work on trumpets and saxophones isn't much of a 
problem. The real problem for harmonica players is that many people 
think that "overblow" refers to the high blow bends in Holes 7-10, 
which are rather different from the ovberblows in Hole 1-6. 

>"Cross Harp" playing does not mean that the harmonica or the player 
>is angry, but is a word describing a certain approach to orientation 
>on the diatonic.

"Cross" as "angry" is not very common in American usage. Even if it 
were, it would not cause any confusion on a musical level. I believe 
the term may be borrowed from accordion. Playing a diatonic accordion 
in a key other than its designated key is known as cross or crossed 
playing. It may have something to do with moving "across" - i.e. from 
row to row on a two- or three- row accordion, where instead of a 
piano-type keyboard there is a row of buttons that plays a diatonic 
scale. It may also be applicable to one-row instruments - I don't 
have a good acquaintance with the accordion usage of the term.

>So, "1st Flat Position" is another way of describing an orientation 
>that is equal to 12th position. "2nd Flat Position" is 11th 
>position, and so on....

Here we do have a strong potential for real musical confusion, for 
the reasons that I detailed previously. I say this with some regret 
because the "x flat" terminology is convenient and therefore 
appealing.

Winslow