Re: [Harp-L] 6th position

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks for your reply George;
                                                 Following your last
post, I am looking again at 6th. position. To me it seems, at the
moment, close to third, infact very close to third, but with the
awkwardmess of the 5th being an overblow, and right after a draw. 
                                                 The 5th to me is like
an anchor point, not melodically, but harmonically, so I like it to be
close at hand.
                                                 I am fascinated by the
possibilities of different positions ( and therefore have no interest in
augmented/whole tone tunings which seem to me to simplify the
instrument, but reduce possibilities)
                                                 However, i am not
convinced, as yet, that 6th Minor offers enough differnece to 3rd to
make it worthwhile.
                                                 Nevertheless, I will
try it at my regular gig tomorrow night, if it seems appropriate, and if
not, I will continue to hack away at it, just because I can.
                                                  I'll let you know how
I go!
Rick Dempster
Melbourne
Australia
                                      
>>> George Brooks <gbrooks1@xxxxxxxxx> 20/12/2006 12:37:58 >>>
Rick Dempster wrote:

I'm curious to know if you use 3rd major, how you find it
and what sort of situations you'd use it in.
I'm also curious to know whether you play 6th minor with a
minor IV chord; of course I know that depends on the tune, but since
the choice is there, would you use 6th if a major IV was needed, or
use
3rd instead where it falls naturally?

=================================================

Sorry to have taken so long to reply, but I'm just catching up with old

posts on the archive after an intense bit of work at my day job.  I'll

rarely choose third position for a major song, but I practice it so 
that it doesn't throw me off if a song that's primarily in another 
position modulates and lands me there.  My philosophy for choosing a 
harp/position for a given song is to try a bunch of them and see how 
the tune lays out on each, awarding plusses if the juicy notes like 4 
and 6 draw can be put to good use and deducting points if parts of the

melody or progression are so awkward that they do not become smooth 
after a bit of work.

To answer your specific question, for reasons that I cannot articulate

I am drawn to 6th position more than 3rd.  If a song otherwise lent 
itself to 6th position minor, I wouldn't move it to third position just

because the IV was major.  But I would consider 5th position in such a

case, another of my favorite positions for minor tunes.

If this is not helpful, please let me know and I will try to do
better.

George

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