Re: [Harp-L] explain positions to beginner

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

Phil:

I would always recommend first learning of Music Theory would the student be interested, but many manufacturers are (quite reasonably) promoting the harmonica as an instrument that beginners can operate without knowing of Music Theory; of course, many students also choose the quick route to music on the harmonica via performing of the blues instead of learning Music Theory and in that case studying of the tools for composition such as modes and positions should wait until some basic skill at operating the instrument has been achieved.

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

On Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 5:19 PM, philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
>I keep waiting for one of the obvious answers (at least to me). 
>Which is you can't explain positions to THIS beginner. Maybe in a 
>few years. But not now. 
>
>
>I once had a student who kept complaining that I refused to 
>explain cross harp (aka 2nd position)  to her. After describing it 
>at least three different ways It dawned on me that she was never 
>going to understand what I was talking  about, regardless of how I 
>described it because she didn't have the background. 
>
>
>Part of this failure to understand  is probably related to reading 
> music and understanding music theory. 
>
>
>If you don't understand what a key is or a major scale, more 
>advanced concepts may elude you.
>
>
>Of course there are composers and performers who get along quite 
>well without reading music. But for most of us mortals, we need 
>all the help we can get -- and knowing a bit of notation (treble 
>clef?) and a little theory -- might be the way.
>
>
>Start with the basics.
>
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>-----Original Message-----
>From: Harmonicology [Neil Ashby] <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
>Sent: Sat, Jun 28, 2014 9:38 am
>Subject: Re: [Harp-L] explain positions to beginner
>
>
>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/ ")