Re: [Harp-L] Heart of Gold Neil Young`

[Grant Walters <grant@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

you guys are confusing me...
As far as I know...
Neil just grabs the harp the song is in in most cases...
G-major...1st position...G harp.

simple straight harp...grabbing a mouthful of notes at once and being just the right amount off key...to be Neil...

He plays his warm up gigs at a small bar near hear and sometimes we get to preview the show before he takes it on tour.

I was most impressed at these friends only shows.... 140 people.
that he and his buddies used their old fender tweeds  (small deluxe and champs) (for guitars and such) and the sound man just mic'd the little amps.
This might have been the best sound I have ever heard at a gig...small night club...with huge sound...not loud...just perfect.

He was very expressive on the Harmonica in the rack...This is his style...not anybody else's. People dug it.
Harp players are quick to discount this method but I have found it to be very useful to understand when sitting in with my folk friends....
They like it when I play simplified and not get to fancy on some things...
Often I use  this style on Steve Earle type tunes....Nothing wrong with fitting in...Sometimes less is more...

I am sure someone will throw out something about Neil's playing now...but it seems to have done him just fine....

thanks
Grant
On Aug 2, 2010, at 7:52 AM, Rob Paparozzi wrote:

> You are Correct, he is using a G harp. "Heart of Gold" starts on an Em Chord and ends on a G Major Chord. You could call the song Em, then the G harp becomes (The relative minor) and would be 4th Position.
> 
> If you choose to look at the song in G major then yes, it's first position and either way I feel it is the BEST choice for what he wanted on this song.
> 
> G=G harp 1st Pos
> D=G harp 2nd Pos
> A=G harp 3rd Pos
> E=G harp 4th Pos
> 
> 
> Hope this helps,
> Rob Paparozzi
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "kregg" <sentral911@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, August 02, 2010 10:13 AM
> Subject: [Harp-L] Heart of Gold Neil Young`
> 
> 
> Hi, In the YouTube version of this song he is playing in the key of Em and he's using a G harp. Since Em is the relative minor of G does this mean he is playing in the first position or straight harp? Why does he choose the first position harp? Does it just sound better for this song? I though he would use second position. Thanks!
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