Re: [Harp-L] scales and positions - the position part

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Position just means the relationship between the labeled key of the harmonica and the key you're playing it in, which may or may not be the same.

For instance, let's say you have a C-harp. It's tuned to the key of C and tha's the key it's designed to play. If you take that C-harp and use it to play a tune in the key of C, then you're playing in first position. First position is the home (labeled) key of that harmonica. (Likewise, if you take an A-harp and use it to play in the key of A, you'd also be in first position, just as you would be when you use an F# harp to play in the key fo F#.)

However, most of the time you'll play a C-harp in the key of G. We call this second position. Sometimes you'l play it in D, which is third position.

So how does the numbering of positions work?

Each position is five notes up the scale from the last. For instance, if you take a C harp, C is first position. If you count up the scale from C, you get G: C D E F G = 1 2 3 4 5. So G is five notes up the scale from C. That's second position.

You may ask, if you count up 1 (C) 2(D) 3(E) 4 (F) 5 (G), why isn't D second position, E third position, and so on?

That's not how things evolved. G is popular because the notes of the G chord are all together as draw notes in Holes 1, 2, 3, and 4. That chord forms a powerful home base for playing in the key of G, You can play a  bunch of neighboring holes together and they'll sound good  together and they'll sound right for the key of the song because they form the most powerful chord in the song.

So G, because it has a powerful home chord, was the second key position to evolve on the C-harp after C. C, or first position, by the way, also has a powerful home chord, formed by all the blow notes throughout the entire range of the harmonica.

(Note: I'm using a C harmonica as an example but the same principle applies to all keys of harmonica. And the evolution I'm describing may have happened originally on an A-harp or a G-harp or some other key of harmonica: that detail is lost to history.)

So we count up five notes from C to G to get from first to second position. If we count up another five notes G-A-B-C-D = 1-2-3-4-5, we arrive at D. D has another powerful chord, the D minor chord that appears in Draw 4-5-6 and again in 8-9-10, with an added note that is't part of the chord but adds a nice color note (the note B in Draw 7).

So first, second, and third positions all have powerful home chords, and they're also the most popular positions.

You can keep counting up five notes to arrive at additional, less-popular positions. However, to get all the way around the chromatic scale you need to start adding sharps and flats. This sequence will go al the way around and arrive at its starting point: 

C G D A E B F#(Gb) Db Ab Eb Bb F C.

If you arrange these notes in a circle, you get what looks like a clock face but with these note names instead of the hours. This is called the CIRCLE OF FIFTHs. You can find depictions of the circle of fifths easily on the web.

By using the circle of fifths, you can start with the key of a tune and figure out what key of harp you need to play it on Position X. If it's first position, you stay where you are. If second position, move one place counterclockwise, third positin, two positions counterclockwise, etc.

You can also start with the key of the harp and figure out what key it would play in Position X. Same palce for first position, one position clockwise for second position, and so on.

Winslow

 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Harmonica Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: William Madel <wmadel@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx 
Sent: Wednesday, September 19, 2012 9:36 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] scales and positions
 
been playing for about 18 months.  Of the many weaknesses that I still see
in myself as a player, I seem to have an overall lack of awareness and
comprehension regarding scales and positions.  I naturally pick up scales
(seemingly) although I don't know any, and I often play in positions other
than 1st and 2nd even though i have no idea what that even means because I
barely comprehend 1st and 2nd position.

Any discussion on these topics will be helpful for sure.  I'm also hoping
for some advice on how to practice and comprehend scales and positions
better.  I'm definitely willing to practice, but my practice habits are
dull and ineffective right now.


Thanks all.


William
Philly PA