[Harp-L] Concerns about describing positions

[Eric DUMINIL <eric.duminil@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hey everybody!

I need some music theory information to keep on developping a little 
software (www.grotch.tk <http://www.grotch.tk>) about harmonica tabs, riffs, 
scales and positions:

I was just wondering what was the best way to describe positions for 
diatonic harmonicas (we'lll discuss other tunings later). 

I-1º/ Do we have to use a major scale (in this example, a C one) to describe 
each position?

For example in 1st position :

1> 1 2> 2'' 2 3'' 3 4> with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
4> 4 5> 5 6> 6 7 7> with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
7> 8 8> 9 9> 10 10>' 10>with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
 
(the tab notation used is the one from The diatonic harmonica
reference<http://www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill/>
)

or in 3 th :

1 2> 2' 2 3'' 3 4' 4 with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
4 5> 5># 6> 6 7 7# 8 with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
8 8> 9>' 9> 10 10>' 10# 10## with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
 
or in 8th:

1' 1># 2'' 2' 3''' 3' 4> 4' with a diatonic in B (8th pos.)
4' 4># 5 5># 6' 6># 7> 7# with a diatonic in B (8th pos.)
7# 8>' 9 9>' 9# 10>'' 10> 10# with a diatonic in B (8th pos.)
 

I-2º/ Or do we have to use a major scale for 1st position, a myxolidian for 
2nd position, a dorian for 3th pos....?

For example with a C Major scale in 1st position (no change...):

1> 1 2> 2'' 2 3'' 3 4> with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
4> 4 5> 5 6> 6 7 7> with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
7> 8 8> 9 9> 10 10>' 10>with a diatonic in C (Straight harp)
 
or with a C Dorian in 3th position :

1 2> 2'' 2 3'' 3 4> 4 with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
4 5> 5 6> 6 7 7> 8 with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
8 8> 9 9> 10 10>' 10> 10## with a diatonic in Bb (Double Crossed)
 
or with a C Phrygian in 5th position:

5> 5 6> 6 7 7> 8 8> with a diatonic in Ab (5th pos.)
2> 2'' 2 3'' 3 4> 4 5> with a diatonic in Ab (5th pos.)
 

But in this case, it would be hard to describe positions from 7th to 11th. 
So, what should we do???




IIº/ Is the position only defined by the difference between the key of the 
song we are playing and the key of the harmonica we are using?

For example, If I want to play a little riff in a key of C, whose notes are 
:

A B D E D B A
 
I can play it like this with a diatonic in A:

4> 4 5 6> 5 4 4>

 So taking into account that I'm playing a riff in a key of C with a 
diatonic in A, I'm playing in 10th position. Right?

But now, if I want to play another riff (but still in a key of C) :

C D F G F D C

 I can use a C diatonic and play it like this:

4> 4 5 6> 5 4 4>

 Ohoh! There's a problem here because I'm playing exactly the same holes in 
the same way than in the former example, but I'm now playing in 1st position 
(a riff in C with a diatonic in C)!

I still can't see where's the problem... Can you please help me?


IIIº/ What happens with other tunings, can we apply the same theory than 
with a richter diatonic?



Thanks a lot for your attention,

Eric DUMINIL






----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DUMINIL Eric

If you're an harmo player, visit www.grotch.tk <http://www.grotch.tk> and 
you won't regret it!