Re: [Harp-L] 4th Position Harmonica

["Steve Hayes" <bigbandrhythm@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

From: Gary Lehmann 
Sent: Tuesday, December 01, 2015 12:27 PM
To: Steve Hayes 
Cc: Dan Thomas ; Tony Eyers ; harp-l 
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] 4th Position Harmonica

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

Start on 4 draw with a âGâ. Maybe itâs not 4th position.. I figure the tuneâs in Em. I could be wrong about the key (position..) But, 4 draw works.

6th position (Locrian mode: b2, b3, b5, b6, b7) comes in handy once in awhile. âMr. Cleanâ works in 6th on an F# SBS harp starting on 2â ... not a very good example, I admit. I seem to remember playing Stingâs âBrand New Dayâ in 6th.

Have fun!


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)