Re: [Harp-L] Positional Thinking

[Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

I find when playing in 1st position switching to cross harp thought on the
V chord is great and when playing 3rd position, swicthing to cross harp
thought on the IV is great.  I can do it for any chord, but those are my
favorites.


Of course, like Winslow suggests, it is only one of many concepts I use to
navigate a solo.

Thanks for the kind words, Buck Worley!
Michael Rubin
michaelrubinharmonica.com


On Sun, May 18, 2014 at 4:02 PM, Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx> wrote:

> Point taken...good food for thought and Michael Rubin backs you up and I
> have a lot of respect for that guy. My thought process is sort of a hybrid
> I guess. Honestly, I try to avoid overthinking. It gets in the way of my
> playing. However if I am trying to work out a lick I tend to fall back on
> scales like you said. I use number charts a lot in song arrangements as
> well as scales. It makes it easy to transpose vs letters for the chords &
> notes. Also, I was not suggesting only 3 note (triad) arpeggios. Sorry
> about that.
> Cheers,
> Buck
>
> Date: Sun, 18 May 2014 13:54:11 -0500
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Positional Thinking
> From: bluesmandan76@xxxxxxxxx
> To: boogalloo@xxxxxxx; harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
>
> I wasn't suggesting it as a standalone approach, but as something useful
> for a player to get out of a rut.
> Arpeggiated triads are fine, but you're just working with 3 notes. A
> positional approach is more scalar, and has to do with how you view the
> whole harmonica and all the notes. Both are good and useful approaches, and
> I think a good player will play with both arpeggios and scales in mind. In
> my mind, the arpeggiated approach focuses on purposely hitting a few choice
> notes, whereas a positional approach looks at the whole harp and focuses
> more on what notes you DON'T include (on diatonic harp anyway). There's a
> lot of overlap between the two approaches as far as the actual notes used
> are concerned, but there is a different mental feel in arpeggios vs.
> scales, I think.
>
> Think of it like this (and this is sort of an extreme example, to make the
> point): If you have a song that really vamps on a single chord, what are
> you gonna do? Say its a Dm chord, you've got a C harp. Do you just
> arpeggiate D F A over and again? That could get repetitive. Or do you just
> think "3rd position" and play everywhere?
>
> Arpeggios absolutely are necessary, but in some cases it is useful to be
> more scalar, and play with the corresponding position in mind (provided you
> understand the relationship between scale and position).
>
>
> On Sun, May 18, 2014 at 12:35 PM, Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> What about when there is a 6 minor chord in the song? Do you think of 6th
> position? Or a 2 or 2 minor? Well, 2nd position? or a 3 minor? 3rd
> position? or a b7th chord? This method seems a bit confusing to me. I guess
> it goes back to how we learn and develop habits and I certainly have had to
> retrain myself because I learned a bad habit. I don't mean to pass judgment
> on this thought process and say it is bad, I was referring to other bad
> habits that I have had to correct. As for me, if I'm playing in 2nd pos and
> the song calls for a 4 chord I just know where the root for the 4 is as
> well as the other notes for the triad or alterations of a 4 chord such as
> 4sus or 4 minor; where the notes are and/or if they are even available.
> Same goes for all chords. I know from practicing harmonizing the major
> scales where the chords and notes are. Same goes for 3rd or 1st positions
> and so on. Practicing arpeggios will get you there. I guess I just don't
> get it. However I am always open for anything useful.
>
> Regards,
> Buck
>
> > Date: Sat, 17 May 2014 22:37:24 -0500
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Positional Thinking
> > From: michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx
>
> > To: bluesmandan76@xxxxxxxxx
> > CC: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > Certainly.  I have talked with many players who do the same and I teach
>
> > this method.
> > Michael Rubin
> > michaelrubinharmonica.com
> >
> >
> > On Sat, May 17, 2014 at 10:15 PM, Dan Hazen <bluesmandan76@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> >
> > > Sometimes when I'm playing, I think of the "position" that is
> appropriate
> > > for the chord I'm playing. For instance, in a standard blues tune, the
> I
> > > Chord is 2nd position.... the IV chord is 1st position, and the V
> chord is
>
> > > 3rd position. For minor blues, the I Chord is 3rd position, the IV
> chord is
> > > 2nd position, the V chord is 4th position (relative minor).
> > >
> > > I think of those positions for each change, and it helps me play a
> little
>
> > > more freely over the changes using different licks than I might
> otherwise.
> > > As you know, each position has its own feel and particular licks, so
> this
> > > approach adds a little variety... That is, you could approach a
> standard
>
> > > blues, for instance, ONLY thinking about 2nd position licks... which is
> > > what I think most people probably do.  But if you think of the position
> > > that fits the chord changes... then you have 2nd, 1st, and 3rd position
>
> > > licks in mind as you move through the song. It makes my playing a
> little
> > > more varied, I think. For me, it mentally "feels" like playing guitar
> and
> > > moving my hand to a different pentatonic position for each chord...
> almost
>
> > > like changing harmonicas for each chord (but not quite).
> > >
> > > I'm wondering: does anyone else do this? Do you ever approach each
> chord in
> > > terms of the position it corresponds to on the harp... and mentally
> make a
>
> > > "switch"? I've never heard anyone express it in these terms before,
> and I
> > > think it might be a useful approach for some...
> > >
>
>
>
>