[Harp-L] 5th positon

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Mike ,
	I use 5th position regularly for minor keys.  I can perform all  
sorts of material in 5th that I could never handle in other  
positions. I use it so often that I  absolutely must carry my Aflat  
diatonic all the time so i have it on hand to use for C minor.  Eflat  
for G minor.  F for A minor, etc.  		
	As you probably know, in order to determine which harp to use in 5th  
position, you take the relative major of the minor key you wish to  
play and use the harp you would ordinarily use to play 2d position in  
that key.  For example, if you want to play in C minor, the relative  
major is Eflat, so you use an Aflat harp (the one you would use to  
play in Eflat major 2d position). Then  use 2 blow for root and you  
get C minor, without having to bend for the minor 3rd or the minor  
6th (which is the minor 3rd on the IV chord).
	You can use the whole harp and play the minor blues scale top to  
bottom in all 3 registers. Bending the 3 draw is necessary to get the  
flat 5th and the 4th. Also, there are a couple of avoid notes in the  
upper 2 registers. But otherwise, it's a lot like 2d position in that  
it's hard to hit a really bad note. The technique and breath patterns  
are also similar to 2d position.
	I think 5th position is better for most minor key material than 3d  
position, because in 3rd position, you must bend to get the minor 6th  
which is the third note of the IV chord... and if the IV chord is  
minor (as it is in most, but not all, minor tunes) you don't fool  
anyone if you don't flat the 6th. I never understood why most  
instructional materials recommend 3d position for minor keys instead  
of 5th.  There's not much recorded material in 5th position, though.   
But playing in 5th allows the player to fit harp parts to all sorts  
of  tunes that don't have harp on the original and which most harp  
players would not be able to handle on a diatonic. Overblows (which I  
have not learned to do) are not necessarily required.
	Of course, you can play minor in 4th position without having to  
bend, but I consider 4th to be a straight harp position because you  
are playing the harp in the relative minor of the key of the harp.   
For example you use a  C harp for A minor. But A minor is the same  
key (same notes) as C major.  You just start on a different note.  So  
you are actually playing the instrument in the key it is in.  I am  
able to play 4th, but never use it unless I want to play "All Along  
the Watchtower"  which was originally recorded by Dylan using 4th  
position and may sound better in 4th instead of 5th. But 4th is like  
playing in 1st.  And i don't  usually enjoy playing in 1st, although  
i can do it when i have to.  But if you like 4th you should love 5th!
	JP