Re: [Harp-L] 4th position, a blues overview

[Seth Galitzer <sethgali@xxxxxxxxx>]

Last time I played in 4th, I found it extremely hard to play chords
for rhythm.  Granted, I'm pretty much a newbie, but I found myself
thinking that I'd have to switch to another harp and play the chords
in 3rd, but play the melody and solos on 4th.  Tips for this are
welcome.

Thanks.
Seth

On Sat, May 1, 2010 at 11:44 AM, Mick Zaklan <mzaklan@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>   Have been thinking lately that 4th position is probably one of the most
> ignored and misunderstood positions on the diatonic harp.  Blues players
> avoid it like the plague.  I understand that.  If someone tells me that a
> position is "minor" or suited mainly for minor-keyed tunes, then what am I
> going to do with that information?  How many songs in minor keys does a
> working blues musician play on a gig?  Maybe one a set?  Chances are, those
> are already being handled in 3rd position.  Historically, there are plenty
> of recorded examples of 3rd position harmonica for a blues harpist to draw
> from.  Hardly any of 4th.  And throw in all the misinformation about this
> position out there.  In Jerry Portnoy's "Blues Harmonica Masterclass"
> booklet and cd, Jerry misidentifies 4th position as 6th, 5th as 4th, and
> 12th as 5th.  Common among oldtimers; when Ron Sorin did his workshop at Joe
> Filisko's Old Town School of Folk Music class, I believe he was calling 5th
> position 4th.  I no longer have the Tony Glover book around, but I think he
> may have been calling 5th position 4th also.  Just for the record; 4th
> position on a C diatonic means you are playing in the key of A.  Your draw
> note on the 6th hole.
>   Regarding the 6th hole; on paper it looks bad.  Your tonic note, a note
> you need to use often in 4th, is only available cleanly (without bending) on
> the 6th and 10th holes of the instrument.  If you are primarily a cross or
> 2nd position player, you want that note lower on the harp.  Unfortunately,
> now you have to sharpshoot a full-step bend on the 3rd hole to get it.  And
> that bend could wind up being sharp or flat if you're not careful.
>   Another drawback.  If you do make an attempt to do some blues playing in
> this position, you might not feel comfortable with the way the notes are
> layed out.  Joe Filisko once told me that he was bothered by all the changes
> in breath here.  Legato and speed are affected sometimes when you find
> yourself constantly having to draw, blow, draw, blow through phrases.
>   When blues players consider all this stuff, 4th becomes relegated to
> novelty act status.  A "someday I'll get around to it" position.  Something
> to play "Autumn Leaves" or "Summertime" in, if you get ambitious.  Then
> somebody unearths a Rhythm Willie side using the position to great effect on
> "St. James Infirmary" and people start to take a second look at it.
>   But again, "St. James Infirmary" is a blues in a minor key.  Over a month
> ago, when John Potts asked me to share some 4th playing tips with harp-l, he
> acknowledged that all the notes seem to be there.  They are.  Simply put, if
> you can bend a few notes on the harp, you can fit most blues standards into
> 4th position.  Major and minor.  Weaknesses?  Every position has weaknesses
> and strengths.  Sweet spots and sour spots.  It's your job as a musician
> to camouflage or overcome these weaknesses and highlight the strengths of a
> position.
>   Are there any advantages to 4th position for blues playing?  Sure there
> are.  You'd spot them in 5 minutes if you drew a diatonic harp in the key of
> G out on a piece of paper side by side with one in the key of A and went
> about the work of playing both harps in the key of E.  Take a good look at
> where the notes you've been using in 2nd position to play the blues on an A
> harp happen to fall on your G harp.  Move some simple riffs and song heads
> over.  The deeper you get into it; the more excited you get about the
> possibilities of 4th as a very practical blues position that can
> stand alongside 3rd, 5th, and 6th as a solid blues option.  Another tool in
> your tool bag.
>
> Mick Zaklan
>



-- 
The beatings will continue until morale has improved.