Re: [Harp-L] 4th Position Harmonica

[Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman@xxxxxxxxx>]

How can you play the head to Tune Up without overblows!

On Tue, Dec 1, 2015 at 10:07 AM, Steve Hayes <bigbandrhythm@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

> Sometimes a tune requires a flatted 6th (the natural minor scale has a
> flatted 3rd, 6th, and 7th.) This is available in 4th position as 2" (2 draw
> bent a whole step) or 5 draw or 9 draw. Often this is the only way to play
> a specific melody without overblows.
>
> Examples:
> Straight, No Chaser (Thelonious Monk)
> Manha de Carnival, aka A Day In The Life of a Fool (Luis Bonfa)
> How High the Moon (Morgan Lewis)
> Afternoon in Paris (John Lewis)
> Tune Up (Miles Davis)
>
> If you simply copy other harp players, you won't find many examples of 4th
> position. Charlie Musselwhite plays "Can't Stay Away From You" and "Azul
> Para Amparo" in 4th and John Hammond plays "Clap Hands" in 4th.  So
> generally, you're safe, if you want to sound like another harmonica player.
> However, "Straight, No Chaser" IS a blues tune.
>
> If you are trying to push the repertoire boundaries, or want to hang with
> horn players or remain on stage in a jazzier jam, other positions including
> 12th, 5th, and 6th will come in handy.
>
> I'm not stageworthy with the unusual positions yet, but I know I'm going
> to need them and will try to know which tunes go with what positions. I did
> have a successful experience at a jam playing "Georgia on My Mind"  in 12th
> position.
>
> Steve in Reno/Tahoe
>