Re: [Harp-L] what position/tuning to play this song

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Eric Miller wrote:
<can I get maj6/min6 in 3rd position without special tuning?  E.G. like you
<can get maj/minor 3rd in 2nd position?

In the bottom octave, a half step bend on the draw 3 reed will give you the minor 6th.  In the middle octave, you can only get the minor 6th with an overblow on the 6th hole.

If you tune the draw 7 reed down 1/2 step, you'll have the minor 6th built-in, and you can blow-bend the blow 7 reed down a half step to give you the major 6th.

If you use a natural minor harp in 2nd position, the minor 6th is built-in (as the blow 2-5-8 reeds), and you can get the major 6th by bending the draw 2 reed down in the first octave 3 half steps), and the draw 5 reed in the second octave (one half step).

I know you said "without special tuning", but the fact is that non-standard-Richter tuning is the easiest way to get some pitches.  If you're planning to use those pitches in a chord, it might be the only way.  I wouldn't avoid "special" tunings on the harmonica.  They seem to work pretty well for Brendan Power, Steve Baker, Rick Epping, and me, to name a few. 

Regards, Richard Hunter

author, "Jazz Harp" (Oak Publications, NYC)
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