[Harp-L] Chromatic harp patterns

["G. E. Popenoe" <gpopenoe@xxxxxxxxx>]

I'm laying awake here in bed with my I-phone at 3:00AM in the morning  
because I had too much wine at a jazz club. I sleep like a rock for a  
few hours and then my eyes pop open.

Oh well. Let me bore you about chromatic patterns. Joe and other  
chromatic players, please chime in. That is when you wake up.

There are some global patterns / landmarks that help me navigate the  
chromatic. I'll use a C chromatic as a reference. There, of course, is  
the most basic pattern.

Blow draw blow draw blow draw draw blow ....bla, bla, bla. You know  
the drill.

Starting on the first hole, that is going to get you a C major scale.

Of course, if you start on the second hole, you are getting a D blues  
scale. At least I call it a blues scale. Your just playing in a  
different place on the basic blow draw pattern.

Draw blow draw blow draw draw blow draw

Landmarks are gooood on chromatics.
That "draw draw" is one of them. It's the only place where there is a  
full step between two draws. Listen for that and you know that the  
next blow to the right is a C.

It will also continue to show up in various forms in successive keys.  
It's relative position within each scale always gives you a reference  
to C as it occurs in that scale.

I'd better quit for now, 'cause without my harp to test some of these  
ideas as I go I'm gonna screw up the info.

Plus, if I played in bed I would have one rather annoyed spouse.


Gary Popenoe