[Harp-L] RE: Subject: Twelfth position - Does it Appeal to Others Like it Appeals to Me?

["Bradford Trainham" <bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

With dogs and cats, I think them reacting to my music has more to do with my
not paying them any attention when I'm playing. 
My cats can also raise objections to phone calls, reading, various attempts
at meditation/spiritual practice involving stillness and who knows what
else.
But they'll begin to actively protest if I play harp for an hour or more
straight around the house without a break.  (I'm sure they only have my best
interest at heart, right?)
Brad Trainham
 

  _____  

From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx [mailto:EGS1217@xxxxxxx] 
Sent: Friday, November 27, 2009 7:36 PM
To: bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Subject: Twelfth position - Does it Appeal to Others Like it
Appeals to Me?


I share my home with a lot of cats, Brad. At this particular moment in time
Eight (8) all indoor, all neutered and spayed (mentioned purely for those
who think such a thing impossible). I'm down from 14. The dog is sadly
outnumbered but still rules the roost. The surprising thing is not a one
finds my chromatic playing objectionable...even in 12th - nor have any
reacted adversely when diatonic players have played here (and there are a
lot of 'hard' surfaces to bounce the sound off - granite, tile, metal). 
 
I do keep music playing most of the day from my Ipod or CD's, have played my
keyboard at fairly high volumes too so perhaps they've merely become
accustomed to music in general, or is it that mine are particularly mellow?
 
I can't imagine that to be the real reason: they're all ages... from
different rescues, several born in my own backyard...most brought in quite a
few years before I returned to harmonica playing.
 
It'd be interesting to eventually find out why some of our fur babies react
adversely and others don't.
 
Elizabeth
 
"Message: 13
Date: Fri, 27 Nov 2009 18:56:29 -0600
From: "Bradford Trainham" <bradford.trainham@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Twelfth position - Does it Appeal to Others Like it
    Appeals to Me?
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

Over the past year and a half, I've gotten more comfortable playing in
twelfth position.
I usually choose this position in a country/folkish song or a pop-ish
sounding song, something with a pronounced major feel.  Even though the
chords we can use come at unusual places, and we certainly have to scope
them out, it almost seems to me that twelfth position is the "other first"
position on a diatonic harp.
I am curious if anyone ever uses twelfth position when playing Blues or
anything in a minor key.
I ask because I haven't had that work for me and not sound strained/forced.
(My cats observe that twelfth position seems exactly eleven times worse than
first position and couldn't I please put that thing away !!Now!!)
Brad Trainham"