[Harp-L] All this Positions and Modes stuff

Jerome P. jersimuse@xxxxx
Mon Oct 29 04:21:18 EDT 2018


"Each position has a different "flavor" or (dare I say it?) "color"?"

But ... it was said before that positions had nothing to do with color /
flavor ...


"Aren't you able to listen to blues harmonica and hear/determine if it is
being played in 2nd position, 3rd position, 1st position, etc?"

If the musician plays a typical 2nd pos blues lick, with typical
intonations, of course I will recognize it. In other words, if the guy
purely plays with typical positions, I will recognize the positions, which
is logical.
But if we get back to colors, if he decides to play any other kind of lick
in G, the color will change, so by definition I will not recognize the "2nd
pos flavor" as you say.
If the guy decides to play a typical blues lick in 9th position, I will not
recognize the 9th position neither.
I may even think it is a 2nd or 3rd pos if it is well played.
And if I don't know anything about typical positions because I may have
learnt music in a different way, of course, I will not recognize the 2nd
position, but I will recognize a Blues lick, and maybe I will even
recognize a Blues lick in G if my ear is trained enough.

Le lun. 29 oct. 2018 à 00:01, The Iceman via Harp-L <harp-l at xxxxx> a
écrit :

> Arthur suggests:
>
> <<If you only play one key of harmonica, positions aren't useful.>>
>
>
>
> I believe they are useful - in blues.
>
>
> Each position has a different "flavor" or (dare I say it?) "color"?
>
>
> Aren't you able to listen to blues harmonica and hear/determine if it is
> being played in 2nd position, 3rd position, 1st position, etc?
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Arthur Jennings via Harp-L <harp-l at xxxxx>
>
>
>
>


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