[Harp-L] All this Positions and Modes stuff

[Jerome P.]

But ... you seem to think as if a single position would correspond to a
single tonal center.
Maybe I haven't understood your point, because things can not be that easy.
David gave some good examples.
Here is another one :
let's say on a G7 chord, I play G mixolydian, G Blues, then G dominant
bebop scale, then G semi-diminished, then G altered, then 5th mode of
harmonic scale, then G whole-tone scale, etc., then with D minor melodic
scale, then Ab major scale, then a Db arpeggio, etc
In which position or positions have I just played ?

Le dim. 28 oct. 2018 à 21:20, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx>
a écrit :

> Although it might be unwieldy to describe a song that changes tonal
> centers via positions, every time you play a harmonica during a portion of
> a song with a tonal center, you are using positions.  Just because it is
> not very useful, does not mean positions go away.
>
> On Sun, Oct 28, 2018 at 3:04 PM Jerome P. <jersimuse at xxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Yes, under the condition you oblige the musician to play only with major
>> scales.
>> The only problem is that no jazzman would stick to the major scale for an
>> improvisation.
>> BTW, as you know, Giant Steps was composed by a musician, John Coltrane,
>> who used to continuously play on parallel harmonic lines, mixing modes from
>> different scales (not only major scale), all kind of scales, changing tonal
>> centers, even when the harmony played by the band doesn't change.
>> I don't see how one can describe a Coltrane solo with positions (apart
>> from rendering the positions theory as complex as the harmonic vocabulary &
>> grammar, which would sound a bit absurd).
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Jerome
>> www.jeromepeyrelevade.com
>>
>> Le sam. 27 oct. 2018 à 23:12, Michael Rubin <
>> michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx> a écrit :
>>
>>> I think so.   And everytime the tonal center changes, you are changing
>>> positions whether or not you think positions exist.
>>>
>>> On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 4:06 PM Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>> > I approach this tune by examining the tonal centers.
>>> > So, is that the same thing?
>>> > Asking for a friend . . .
>>> >
>>> > Sent from my iPhone
>>> >
>>> > On Oct 27, 2018, at 2:03 PM, Michael Rubin <
>>> > michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx> wrote:
>>> >
>>> > There are many approaches to Giant steps but the simplest is to shift
>>> > between three major scales. Why not think positionally?
>>> >
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > On Sat, Oct 27, 2018 at 3:41 PM Gary Lehmann <gnarlyheman at xxxxx>
>>> > wrote:
>>> >
>>> >> When I was young I had a guitar book that explained music
>>> improvisation
>>> >> using the “box” method.
>>> >> Later on, I invented the pentatonic scale.
>>> >> This is a similar concept.
>>> >> Learn as much as you can, but don’t discount concepts that might be
>>> >> useful to others.
>>> >> If it sounds good, it is good.
>>> >> I would never try to play Giant Steps on a diatonic harp—even the
>>> head!
>>> >
>>> >
>>>
>>