Re: [Harp-L] 5th position

["" <harpgawd@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't usually get into these kinds of threads but I have to side with
The Iceman on this one.

When all us of first bought a harp - for whatever reason - we were
clueless about it's abilities let alone our own with regard to this
precious instrument of ours. But after countless study and woodshed
sessions we learn a little more each time. How many of you cats knew
that to play the blues in 2nd position before you bought that first
harp meant you needed to play in G on a C harmonica (regardless of your
musical background or experience)? I sure didn't. Probably a few of you
had been told by a buddy. For me it was like the first time I had sex -
clueless - but I found my way as time went by. Like Iceman said, getting
to the place where you don't think and just PLAY "is based on knowledge
obtained layer by layer."

I believe if you're thinking while you play you can't find the 'zone.'
What are you thinking about? The position you're playing in? The
overdue cable bill? The issue with your wife/girlfiend/boyfriend? Eric
Clapton said of Stevie Ray Vaughn that he'd never known a musician that
found the 'zone' as well as SRV.He wasn't thinking about anything except
the music including the attractive vegetation in the front row. 

I believe that all thinking will get in the way of finding the zone. I
wish I knew how to master that concept like SRV and a few others. At
some point we need to know what poitions are and what they mean but
after countless trips to the woodshed the knowledge has less value.
Why? Because the bottom line is that it's about playing music not
playing in a position. Finding the notes AND the spaces is the ultimate
goal (I was recently at a blues jam where my buddy commented about a
very good guitar player, "(he) plays all the notes and none of the
spaces)." Surely Levy, Bonfiglio, Tate and many many others don't think
about the notes they' play or the position they're in while they are
playing. The notes gets perfected during a practice session but when
we're actually making music, it becomes irrelevant because it's truly
about making music. 

Bobby 

icemanle@xxxxxxx wrote: 
> 
> Buddha writes "Usually Larry has great advice but he's way off the mark here."
>  
>  
> Buddha has good points in his response based, of course, on his own personal
> philosophy of playing. My philosophy is WAY different and works quite well for
> me and my students, as I'm sure Buddha's does for his.
>  
> It is interesting to note how many times Chris mentions "think" and "thinking"
> in his post (13 times). If he is reponding to my post, he missed the boat - I
> merely suggest "playing" the notes, "picking the correct notes", etc, as a
> substitute for "thinking position."
>  
> An understanding of what goes into picking correct notes, playing the notes,
> etc, is based on knowledge obtained layer by layer, through modal understanding,
> note choices within harmonic framework, a smattering of music theory, listening
> to great music, and thinking these through. 
>  
> Since there is no "ultimate most correct philosophy", isn't it best to offer
> one's opinion as such, and not decide who is on or off the mark? That translates
> into some type of judgement being made - and what does that indicate about the
> one making the judgement?
> 
> 
> The Iceman