Re: [Harp-L] explain positions to beginner

["Harmonicology [Neil Ashby]" <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Whenever explaining of positions and modes to the beginner then it would be useful to distinguish between the role of the Performer and the role of the Composer.

The Performer should not really have any need to know the position or mode and just plays the notes as written by the Composer.

Of course then most users of harmonica eventually become both Performer and Composer but the beginner should start with just Performing and-then move onto Composing.

An artist of painting chooses to load some set of colors for his palette based on the type of artwork desired; the palette would be full of dark colors for some artwork and light colors for other artwork; similarly then the Composer of music chooses his "modes" and "positions" based on the desired tone for the final composition.

Thus the "modes" and "positions" are tools for the Composer and the beginner should generally work on basic harmonica technique well before learning the advanced tools of "modes" and "positions".

/Neil (" http://thebuskingproject.com/busker/2025/ ")