Fwd: [Harp-L] changing harps ?

["Winslow Yerxa" <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- In harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, TomEHarp@xxxx wrote:
talking about positions,it sounds like some harp players play 2nd   
3rd 4th 5th positions on one harp. like ifn the band was in the hey 
of C and you wanted to play the dorien mode some players would play 
the c d eb f g a Bb on a c harp. 

======Comment

That's first position - you're still playing in C on a C harp, even 
though you're changing the scale from ionian (standard major) to 
dorian. Position is about what key the tune is in relative to what 
key the harp is in; scales are incidental.

=========Tom:

very cool never tryed it i would just blow a B b harp instead. 

========Winslow:

That would be third position, definitely the easiest way to get a 
dorian scale.

=======Tom:

and going into 5th po. Ab playing that scale is over my head on a c 
harp i just play the Ab harp.can't do all the overblows and draws.

========Winslow:


Fifth position on a C harp is E, not Ab. First position I ever 
learned.

Just to be clear, on a C-harp the first 5 positions would be:

First position: tune is in the key of C 

Second position: tune is in the Key of G

Third position: tune is in the Key of D

Fourth position: tune is in the Key of A

Fifth Position: tune is in the Key of E

maybe to get to Ab from C you were counting in the other direction - 
C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab. That would be 1st (C), 12th (F), 11th (Bb) 10th (Eb), 
and 9th (Ab).

Most players play in 2nd, 3rd, and 1st. Slightly more adventurous 
players play in 4th, 5th, 12th, and maybe 11th. A handful of players 
play in all 12 positions. You are far from alone in not wanting to 
tackle Ab on a C harp.

Winslow