Re: [Harp-L] New to the list HELLO!!!

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Don,

Welcome to the list!!

--- Don Grubbs <jgrud@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> I am a STRAIGHT Harp Player, LOL, (as in I play
> in 1st position, not 2nd.) I LOVE the BLUES, and 
> prefer it to most other forms of music. So! You 
> can  see my delema. Believe me I have tried to 
> switch, but I seem to always stumble back to my 
> old ways. Is there any other "straight" harp 
> players here  who play the Blues?
>  Don

Don't give up. There is a ton of great sounding
things you can do in Blues in 1st position. Give a
listen to Jimmy Reed, or so many of those really
old cats from the 1920s such as Jazz Gillum, Chuck
Darling, Freeman Stowers and Jaybird Coleman. 

The key is to become fluent in hitting that blues
scale in the first and 3rd octaves. Here's some tab
to find those "blue notes" 

1st position blues scale: 
lower octave
1+, 2+,  2", 2', 3+, 3', 4+, 
middle octave (not much use w/out overblow)
4+, 4+OB, 5, 5+OB, 6+, 6+OB, 7+
upper octave
7+, 8+', 9, 9+', 9+, 10+", 10+ 

My tab
2' = 2 draw, half-step drawbend 
2" = 2 draw, whole-step drawbend
4+OB = 4 blow, overblow
9+' = 9 blow, half-step blowbend

Most guys, who can handle regular draw and blow
bends, play 1st position blues and simply avoid the
middle octave. 

Here's a simple blues lick (no bends needed) in the
upper octave to get you started:

7+, 8+, 9+, 10, 10+ (place emhasis on 8+ and 10+)

Good luck.

Harpin' in Colorado,
--Ken M.


		
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