Re: [Harp-L] Re: Modes, keys and positions (John F. Potts) (John Kerkhoven)

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Someone said earlier the positions are the modes.  I disagree.  Modes
are scales that use the same notes as a scale you already know but
start and finish on a different scale tone.  For example the modes of
C major scale are:
C D E F G A B C
D E F G A B C D
E F G A B C D E
F G A B C D E F
G A B C D E F G
A B C D E F G A
B C D E F G A B

On a C harmonica, it would be easy to play these modes, especially if
you could play the F in 2 draw double bend, the A in 3 double and the
B in 10 blow single bend.  It would be easy because until you bend and
overblow, every note on the C harmonica is a note in these modes.  If
you played the D mode, you would be playing in third position, the E
mode would be playing in 5th position.  Each of these modes would be
playing in a different position.  However, the idea of a position is
much greater than playing these modes.  The modes are a subset of the
greater umbrella of position playing.

The positions are keys designated by the placement of the key's root
note on the harmonica in relationship to the distance to the
harmonica's stamped key as measured by the circle of fifths.

The circle of fifths is a method of thinking about music where keys
are sequenced by a starting key followed by the next key whose root
note is the fifth note in the major scale  (do re mi fa so la ti do)
of the starting key, the so note, followed by the next key whose root
note is the fifth note in the previous key's major scale and so on
until one returns to the original starting key.

For example if the circle of fifths started with C, the fifth note in
the C major scale (C D E F G A B C) is G.  The next key is G.  The
fifth note is G's major scale (G A B C D E F# G) is D.  The next key
is D.  The complete circle starting on C is:
C G D A E B F# C# Ab Eb Bb F and returning to C.

If you had a C harp, playing in C would be first position.  Playing in
G would be second position.  Playing in D, third, etc.

If you had a G harp, playing in G would be first position, playing in
D would be second position.

Start on your harp's key note in the circle of fifths.  That is that
harp's first position.  Move to the next key in the circle, the the
next  key is second position and so on.

Howard Levy added to the confusion by calling the key of F first flat.
 If you moved backwards from C in the circle of fifths (Often
considered counterclockwise since the circle of fifths order is
normally drawn as a circle with the C as the midnight spot, the G in
the one o'clock spot, the D in 2 O'clock)  you would get F.  Since C
has zero flats and F has one flat, he named it First Flat position.
Move one key backwards from F and you get Bb, called 2nd flat
position.    If you had a G harp, C would be first flat, F would be
2nd flat.  I do not like this method, but it is worth talking about
because you want to be able to communicate with people who use this
dialect.

Because it is possible to play any key on any harp, within the
limitations of the low and high range of the harp, it is possible to
play any scale on any harp.

The G mode of C is G A B C D E F G.  If you were to play that, you
would be playing in 2nd position and playing a mode.

The G major scale is G A B C D E F# G.  With bends and overblows or
valves you could play that scale on a C harp.  You would be playing in
second position, the key of G on a C harp, but you would NOT be
playing the fifth mode of the C major scale, G A B C D E F G.

To repeat, modes are a subset of position playing.  Playing any scale
in a key  designated by the placement of the key's root note on the
harmonica in relationship to the distance to the harmonica's stamped
key as measured by the circle of fifths is a position.

As you go from one standard richter tuned harp key to another, the
hole placement of any position's scale degree tones remains the same.
What changes are the actual notes, but the relationship between the
notes as measured by half steps (one half step in distance is one note
to the very next note in the western chromatic scale) remains the
same.  This means if you learn to play in a position on one harp, you
can physically play the same way on another harp and get the same
musical phrase transposed into another key.  Learn one harp, learn
them all.

This can be confusing in an email.  Working one on one with an
instructor can really help because at every point in the discussion,
the instructor can assess your mastery of the concept and slow down
until you really understand it and THEN move on to the next concept.

Phone and webcam lessons available ;) but also, if you are having
trouble understanding this email, respond to it  really pinpointing
the confusing section and I will try again.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com



On 1/14/10, geoff atkins <geoffatkins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> John gave me a really comprehensible and relevant answer,
> especially compared to advice like (on how to find the key)
> "use a pitch pipe".
>
> OK , really dumb question, please excuse my ignorance, but
> is a "position" not a physical location, as in:
> "position your lips to blow on hole 4"
> but rather the sequence of blowing and drawing as one moves across the harp?
>
> Let's take at random say Gershwin's "Summer time".
> In what position is it best played, on which harp?
>
> I'm not having trouble playing the harp, but getting into the theory,
> -understanding what I do naturally- is complex.
>
>
> Geoff Atkins
>
>
>
>
>
>
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