[Harp-L] 5th Position

["Steve Merola" <stevemerola@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Harp-l
I use 5th position as well. You can hear it on my "Space" page

<http://www.myspace.com/stevemerola> <http://www.myspace.com/stevemerola>

It's a song called "Show Me The Door", written by Jimmie Mack. I use a low F
harp to play in D minor, as well as a chromatic to play what I think of as
the "horn riff".
You can also purchase this track from this page.
Peace
Steve Merola



John Potts wrote:
 >>> "John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx> 29/08/2008 9:42 >>>
 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