[Harp-L] Harp-L Digest, Vol 182, Issue 23

[Michael Rubin]

John,
I'll expert you.  You still owe me $2.

You say "When you play in the key of G blues  on a C harmonica, you are
using the myxolidian scale."

This would be extremely limiting.  Have you ever played 4 draw bent while
playing blues in the key of G on a C harp?  That note is Db, a black key.
Suddenly you are out of the Mixolydian scale.

I am glad you love the way you p[lay, that is the main point of music,
imo.  Enjoyment.
Michael Rubin









On Tue, Oct 30, 2018 at 8:20 AM John Frazer <harmonicajohns at xxxxx> wrote:

>
> So many experts. Arguing for argument’s sake. I am right- you are wrong.
>
> When you play in the key of G blues  on a C harmonica, you are using the
> myxolidian scale. Just because you are using the same notes as the C scale
> doesn’t mean you are playing in C if the song is in G. In western music we
> have settled on 12 notes  using 8 note scales. This is not a universal- or
> even worldwide- standard.
>
> The "second position rule of thumb” is what guitarists and keyboardists
> use to try to help novice players out.  For example, a tune is in G, so the
> guitarist say to you," Get your C harp, man”. Maybe I will, maybe I won’t.
> I might prefer to play a Gharp or an F harp, depending on what I want to
> do. BUT to get all huffy and TELL them so would make me an a-hole. Better
> just to say thank you. Then play whichever harp I prefer. LATER it might be
> ok to educate them- but not on stage when they are just trying to help.
>
> Just dropping in. I love how I play.
>
>