Re: [Harp-L] Chromatic: Advantages of each position

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

To me it is about the button.  I look for scales with either mostly no
button or mostly all button.  Scales with lots of button movement can
be tough.  There are major scale keys that are tough, say E major,
that are great in blues!

I did buy a B chromatic because I figured if a scale was hard, it
would probably be easy 1/2 step away.  I have been right.  There was a
song in Floyd Collins that wanted a complex melody in E major.  I
picked up the B chromatic and breezed through it in concert E, which
felt like F to me.  I have also had bandleaders insist on certain
button involved sounds that I could only get on the B harp.  Other
than that, I am all C chromatic.

I pretty much insist that all my students learn chromatic.  If they
just do not want to, I won't make them, but they seem to have a much
harder time with advanced diatonic work.  A good understanding of the
chromatic makes diatonic leagues easier, imo.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com


On Wed, Mar 14, 2012 at 10:36 AM,  <MundHarp@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> I always think in "positions" whether playing diatonic or the chromatic
> harmonica. I'm not an expert in any way in the theory of music...  But I  find
> that it works for me!
> The main problem in playing chromatically on any harmonica is that of
> chords. That is the main reason my working kit of harps includes chroms in all
> twelve major keys. This also has the bonus that once one learns a complex
> tune  in one key, should the vocalist decide to sing the song in another key
> entirely,  it is easy to grab a different harmonica and play exactly the same
> "pattern" and  get the required key without having to ditch the chords!
> Much the same as a  keyboard player hitting the "transpose" button on a modern
> synth or a guitarist  using a capo. It may not be clever, but it produces
> results.
> When I play music, I do not care if I seem to be "cheating" in this way. I
> simply want to make a musical sound, and that is all that matters as far as
> I am  concerned.
> Best wishes,
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Just now in Scotland,
> But I'm available for work anywhere in the world.
> _http://johnwalden.freevar.com_ (http://johnwalden.freevar.com)
>
>
> In a message dated 3/13/2012 6:31:15 P.M. GMT Standard Time,
> robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> Will  there be a presenter at SPAH12 teaching how to choose positions on  a
> chromatic? Even though all notes are present, I imagine some modes  and
> scales "layout" better in certain positions, both for comfort and  for
> expression.
>
> Robert Hale
> Learn Harmonica by Webcam
> Low  Rates, High Success
> http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL  <http://www.youtube.com/user/DUKEofWAIL>
> http://www.dukeofwail.com
>