[Harp-L] explain positions to beginner

[Doug Schroer <dougharps@xxxxxxxxx>]

This is not rocket science, people!

Before teaching positions, I teach modes

At age 11 I was playing melodies in modes on a C chromatic harmonica
(without using the button).  Each mode is associated with a position.
Scarborough Fair and Summertime were my first adventures in discovery.   I
just tried to make melodies of the songs I had heard work without using the
button.  Finding how to make melodies lay on the harp was educating.  Years
later I learned the names for what I was doing, but I didn't need theory or
the words for it to actually do it at that time.

Now for too many words about it :

To explain the modes based on the C major scale, I get a keyboard and have
them play the major scale starting on C (Doe, a deer, etc) mentioning that
no black keys are needed.  I explain that this is the same as first
position, which is the Ionian mode.

I have them use the order of the circle of 5ths to play scales (ON THE
WHITE KEYS ONLY!) starting on the tonic notes for the keys on the circle of
5ths (C, G, D, A, E for example).

I note that another sharp would be needed to be added to make a major scale
each time you shift clockwise on the circle of 5ths.

I explain that modes just use this C major scale with no sharps or flats
but start on other notes of that scale.  I explain that musicians took
advantage of the modes to play interesting melodies on simple diatonic
instruments without having the black keys to make sharps and flats.  Many
interesting melodies have been created using the modes as the basis.

The key (pun intended) information I try to convey is that with a simple
major diatonic scale in C we can create different melodies using modes
without needing to add sharps or flats.  Just starting on different notes
of he C major scale as the tonic note for our melody will create
dramatically different sounds and melodies.  The key signature of sheet
music would remain C, but the song would center around a different pitch.
Finally,  I play them a melody that fits a mode and tell them the starting
place, letting them learn it as they pick out the melody on their C
harmonica.

I have met many people who have studied music formally for years and no one
had explained modes.  If they had even heard of a mode, they thought of it
as another scale to be learned, not as a scale inherent in every major
diatonic scale and predetermined by the note you choose to start on.

The modes are there.  Just reach out and find them!

Once the student has the concept of the modes, I show them on the keyboard
that by using black keys to add flats or sharps we can play major scales or
other scales beyond the modal scales related to the key of the diatonic
instrument.   I explain that the mode is built in to the diatonic scale of
the instrument, but by adding sharps or flats we can view a position  as
starting on the same note as the mode, and play music in other scales
starting on that note.

I strongly believe that music should come first, and words later.  I
believe that this is how music evolved in its primitive folk beginnings,
and that people were using the modes of a simple scale on simple
instruments to make different melodies without changing to different keys
by adding semitones.

Again, when you talk about it too much it becomes confusing.  Play music!