RE: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

What about sub-modes ie dorian vs sub-dorian ie doria on diatonic vs dorian on chromo and on and on 
What I think is the bottom line is TASTE. Good taste vs bad taste. If a person wants to demonstrate that something can be done does not mean it will come off with tastefulness. Oh yes, the fact that one can go through the math and be technically correct does NOT mean that what comes out the other end will sound good on a harmonica. If playing in all 12 keys on one harmonica is considered a tasteful thing then I am going to gag myself with a spoon. This is Micheal R just showing off his respected wealth of music theory applied to an instrument that is very limited in the real world. Pie in the sky junk that just does not work on harmonica with good taste. The video definitely demonstrates this.
Buck Worley 

> To: ndavid.coulson@xxxxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> From: icemanle@xxxxxxx
> Date: Sat, 31 Mar 2012 22:53:18 -0400
> CC: 
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> sounds like you are getting it, at least from my understanding of the definitions used by Michael.
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> Position playing on harmonica (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc) can be related to the modes or not, depending on your skill in creating notes through bending techniques. If I play 3rd position on a "C" harmonica, I am playing in the key of "D". Now, if I just play in the mid range of the diatonic w/out using any bending techniques, it can be described as the dorian mode in the key of "D". If I substitute 5 hole inhale with 5 hole overblow, now I am playing a mixolydian mode in "D". If I add a 7 hole overdraw, it becomes ionian mode in the key of "D".
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> All of these can be considered 3rd position playing, although most may consider 3rd position playing on diatonic to be that minor sounding dorian mode. So, if your skills are good, you can fool the average harmonica player to a point where it might be difficult for them to figure out where you are on the harmonica or they assume you are using a non-richter tuned one. (I pulled this type of playing on Phil Wiggins at Augusta Heritage during an evening jam. He grabbed the harmonica out of my hand to see if it was altered as he couldn't figure out how I did what I did).
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> This is a bit of an advanced approach using advanced techniques, so here is where position and modes overlap, in a sense.
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: ndavid.coulson <ndavid.coulson@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>; The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sat, Mar 31, 2012 10:13 am
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] positions you can use on diatonic
> 
> 
> I'm trying to understand this myself. Is there a difference between "playing in positions", where, for example, on a C harp you play the notes of the C scale but starting with the root note of G (Mixolydian mode of C), and playing in the KEY of G on a C harp? Maybe Michael is describing the former and Larry is describing the latter. In other words, when playing positionally aren't you primarily using and emphasizing all the notes of the 1st position (major) scale regardless of what position you're playing in, which is what creates distinctive sound of the mode? Whereas when you play in a key, you're adding the sharps and flats that enable you to play a major (or minor) scale in that particular key, regardless of the key of the harp you're playing. Please tell me if this is wrong. I'm not sure if my grasp of music theory is correct!
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> David 
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> On Mar 30, 2012, at 3:56 PM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
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> Larry,
> This time I disagree with you.  Is the band playing in a key, at least
> for a portion of the song?  Are you using a richter diatonic harp?
> Then you are playing in a position.  Position are numbered by the
> relationship of the key the band is playing in to the name of the harp
> as measured by the amount of times moved clockwise in the circle of
> fifths.  No amount of saying "I've moved a little past positions" can
> change that you play in positions . . .
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> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
> http://youtu.be/aCbDxn5a3xI
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> On Fri, Mar 30, 2012 at 9:19 AM, The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx> wrote:
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> Pretty much depends on the individual.
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> I can, but find certain positions to be not too useful for most scenarios.
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> In a way, I've moved a little past "position" and just go for the notes that I need wherever they may live.
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