Third position on chromatic has a nice fat chordal basis, as do first, second, and third positions on diatonic, so there's a strong comfort level in playing that way.
I agree that playing blues in multiple keys is a lot of fun. The current series of my column at harmonicasessions.com:
http://harmonicasessions.com/feb08/Yerxa.html
shows how easy it can be to play blues in B on chromatic, with just one slide-in note - F#.
The series will continue through E, A, and, all using the slide, then move on to other keys.
Winslow
"G. E. Popenoe" <gpopenoe@xxxxxxxxx> wrote: As a chromatic player, I'd like to respectfully challenge those of you
who play blues to try using the instrument's full capabilities. I've
noticed that some players will buy a different chromatic for almost
every key. That makes them very expensive diatonics.
I know that some players use chromatics in this way to get a specific sound and that's great. However, I've played chromatic in blues bands playing all keys on one C chromatic just as I would in jazz. This has opened up opportunities to be more sax like in phrasing.
When I mic it through my Rivera , the distinction between the sound of the chromatic and the usual diatonics is blurred.
If you are concerned about the challenges of mastering scales on the instrument, I would recommend the baby steps approach. Start with the open keys (keys with few slide fingerings). These often are good blues keys as well.
D - no slide E- two slide fingerings. G-one slide fingering C- two slide fingerings Etc.
Gary Popenoe
On Mar 25, 2008, at 11:05 PM, Winslow Yerxa wrote:
Standard chromatic tuning, usually third position (D on a C chromatic, G on an F, etc.).
Winslow
gary hilt wrote: Hey hi ya'll: Ive been playing mostly chromatic for several months and really like Wm. Clarke. What tunings does he use for chromatic blues? Aprreciate any feed back.
Sokessensei
Gary L. Hilt
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
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