Re: [Harp-L] Calculate 12th Position?

["Cara Cooke" <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

*<Crazy Bob wrote>*
*2. Since it's a major scale, it will probably work pretty good for
bluegrass. However, you must determine what scale notes best fit a
particular song. A lot of bluegrass is in either Dorian or Mixolydian mode,
if it is not Ionian (major scale) mode. Try it and see if it fits the songs
you want to play! If not, don't sweat it: pick something that WORKS for the
song! It's all about the music, NOT all about the position.*
**
Bob's right.  Use whatever you need to fit in and blend.  Most of bluegrass
is either in 1st position (ionian), 2nd (mixolydian), 3rd (dorian), or 4th
(aeolian or relative minor), and it usually fits one of those scales
exceptionally well.  So the sharpened 4th note in the 12th position (lydian)
scale would seem out of place.  However, some bluegrass uses pentatonic
scales (major and minor) and sometimes changes keys in the middle --
constantly switching back and forth between the keys.  This is often where
12th position comes in handy.  It may provide just enough notes in just the
right places to get you through a key change without having to change
harmonicas.

The fiddle tune "Forked Deer" is a good example.  In the key of D on a D
harmonica, the front section does a lot of work in D, but the second section
is in A and you have just enough notes for a solid melody.

A more odd example might be a banjo tune called "Stoney Creek".  Its first
section is in the key of A and the second in the key of F.  However, the
first section, while played with major chords in A, is really more of a
minor pentatonic melody, so 4th position on a C harmonica will get you
through it and leave you with 12th position in the key of F for the second
part -- and there are enough notes there for you to play the whole tune on
one harmonica without having to bend a one of them.

Cara Cooke
www.cyberharp.isonfire.com
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