Re: [Harp-L] Third position rave and questions

[icemanle@xxxxxxx]

3rd Position major is a lot of fun when you go a little beyond that "3rd Positiony Sound" that most blues players use.
 
For instance, 3rd position playing in a major key - instead of 2 inhale second bend, start to nail that first bend exactly to pitch. Play 3 inhale second bend to pitch, even approaching it from 3 inhale third bend (a chromatic tone leading to the 5th scale degree). You also get the full be-bop scale by including 4 exhale and 4 inhale band as the dominant 7th and major 7th.
 
The trick here is to stay on the low octave and work these notes out. When you get into the second octave, that 5 hole inhale can be treated like a +9 note in musical conception. 
 
The Iceman
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Fugazzi <mfugazzi67@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wed, 19 Apr 2006 10:33:41 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: [Harp-L] Third position rave and questions


I play in a band that plays around 30 songs at a bar
gig.  All of our music is very blues based and many of
the tunes are I IV V or variations of that
progression.

I went from playing about three songs in third
position a night (all minor songs) to about half since
this winter.  Third position is AWESOME!!!  I don't
have the same vocabulary as I do in cross, but it
comes so natural and it is way easier to play cool
rhythms.

The only hang up I have at all, is that sometimes I
feel I sound too minor.  I don't know if this is due
to note selection or just my ear.  When you play third
position MAJOR, how does your approach change from a
minor tune?

For amost every song we play, it fits really well. 
The only problem I've ever had is when I try to play a
really major sound song like a stomp.  Should I stay
away from the 2 draw bent all the way down and five
draw?  Any suggestions on third position major theory?

I've tried the archives, but was surprised not to find
a lot of material on the playing style, but rather
songs recorded with 3rd pos. harps.  I guess there are
a lot of spelling variations too.

Thanks


Mike Fugazzi
vocals/harmonica
NiteRail

http://www.niterail.com
http://www.myspace.com/niterailband

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?  Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around 
http://mail.yahoo.com 
_______________________________________________
Harp-L is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
Harp-L@xxxxxxxxxx
http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l