[Harp-L] Making the Move to Chromatic

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Well, I've been trying to learn chrom for the last few months in part  
because a bandleader i work with has been insisting on it and in part  
because i finally found a chrom that i enjoy playing and that's not  
sticky or temperamental (the Suzuki SCX-48 and SCX-56).

Surprisingly. I'm navigating the double C's just fine, and after  
years of playing diatonic in 6 positions, it sure is nice to have an  
instrument where all the notes are always in the same location.  
Thinking in terms of sharps all the time took a little getting used  
to, but I've been able to make that adjustment.

I'm not having much problem in learning to PLAY the chrom. I can play  
scales and specific melodies without much difficulty.  BUT, being  
able to solo and improvise on the chrom is a different and much more  
difficult challenge. i get around pretty well on the diatonic in  
different positions because i know the breath patterns for the  
available scales and since my options are limited (I don't OB) I've  
learned to optimize within those limitations. But on chrom there are  
no such limitations since one has a complete 12 tone chromatic scale  
available instead of just certain patterns of notes.

The bandleader who is insisting I learn chrom (and who has a Masters  
in Music) tells me that learning scales isn't the most effective way  
to learn to improvise.  According to him, learning the arpeggios of  
the chords to each tune is the foundation for effective  
improvisation. Since i play no other instruments and since one can't  
"build" chords on a diatonic, my knowledge of chord structures is  
less than fluent,  And I haven't been able to find any books with tab  
for arpeggios.  I've been advised to use books with music for sax or  
flute.  I don't sight read, although I can make sense of a chart, but  
none of the books I've looked at label the arpeggios by name and it's  
tough for me to recognize what chord is being arpeggiated just by  
looking at the notes that are written out, so it's hard for me to  
orient myself in a music book.

Maybe there's a better way to go about it.

JP