[Harp-L] adding a position

[Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx>]

   Kind of depends on what you happen to be interested in.  If you're
looking for a nice alternative to first position, as far playing
major-sounding melodies, then I can't argue with 12th.  If you're primarily
a blues player, you might want to take the positions in order.  Since they
sort of bleed into one another that way.  Fourth has some third in it when
you hit the IV chord, fifth has some fourth in it, etc.  You have a little
foothold already established if you take them in order.
   As primarily a blues player; I spend a lot of time in 4th, 5th, and 6th.
I would argue that, in terms of difficulty, fifth would be the least
difficult of those positions to get up and running.  For blues, anyway.
   I would also tell any blues player who feels 4th is irrelevant or
simply a minor key position, that he or she ought to take a second look at
it.  You'd be surprised how many blues standards in major keys really work
well in that position.  One of the highlights of the last SPAH convention
for me was when I went to buy a harp from Rupert Oysler.  Rupert told me
that Mark Hummel had been asking about me.  Mark had sat in the blues jam
circle for a tune or two the evening before and couldn't figure out what
position I was using.  So he wanted to know who I was.  I was in fourth
while he was in circle.

Mick Zaklan