Re: [Harp-L] explain positions to beginner

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

P-S: I should have added that composing of an arrangement for the harmonica often involves including of the appropriate tabs which are typically identical for any other key of Major-Key harmonica; switching of harps would be no problem. My reference to having beginners start as by learning to be the Performer (instead of the Composer) also includes playing from tabs as well as playing of the "notes".

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

----- Forwarded message from "Harmonicology [Neil Ashby]" <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx> -----

Joe:

Most beginners start with the "C-Major" harmonica and often use just the "C-Major" harmonica for basic instruction; switching of harps indicates that the student has acquired those basic skills associated with performance and would be all set to move into those more advanced subjects of mode and positions.

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

On Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 12:04 PM, "Joseph Leone" <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>On Jun 28, 2014, at 9:38 AM, Harmonicology [Neil Ashby] wrote:
>
>> 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.
>
>Just playing the notes would be fine if one is indexing off OF the 
>key of C with a key of C instrument. The dichotomy comes in where 
>a person is switching harps. So, is a body supposed to learn where 
>all the notes live on a particular keyed instrument even though 
>there are 1... 12 majors, 12 natural minors, 12 harmonic minors, 
>and yada yada?
>
>jus axing   smo-joe (who once told Snow White: "Stay away from 
>those guys")   
>> 
>> 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 bright 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/ ") 
>>