Kevin--Please see my teaching You Tube videos. I show you easy things and play guitar for you. Below is one video that will help you. I also highly recommend you join my Video Harp Club. If you go to my website connected top this forum,. you will see I make my living teaching guys like you to play. Best wishes--Jon
D.Q. #1 Your question and the response , I must admit , is over my head. But I would like to congratulate you on the courage it takes to ask a question. I think for every one that steps up to ask a question, there are a hundred others that are wondering something, but don't want to sound silly or stupid. I feel the same way sometimes. If I were younger and still had "game" I'm sure it would bother me more. I have found this site to be a great place to learn from others. The members and guests very helpful and supportive. The first response to your question is an excellent example. I would like to encourage others to join in. Learning from each other is the great thing about this site.
Happy Holidays, Jam Camp Forum-ers and Forum-ettes.
Greetings, Kevin. Here's how I practice other positions (in addition to first position) on a 10-hole diatonic, or other diatonic, tremolo, octave-tuned, bass, 48 chord, or slide chromatic harmonica(the bass harp is a blow-only instrument, and the 48 chord harp may or may not use the following blow-draw pattern):
If you are using a key of C harmonica of any diatonic, tremolo, octave, or slide chromatic, the notes would be (Large letters blow, small letters draw) C, d, E, f, G, a, b, C, going from lowest to highest note of the scale, then reverse direction, highest to lowest.
On a C harp, first position (do to do) on your harmonica, go up the scale and down the scale. For our example, that is, from the left-lowest notes- holes 4-7 up, then 7-4 down on a 10-hole diatonic harp. Practice holding notes for 4-, 3-, 2-, and one foot tap each note. If needed, take a 4-. 3-, 2-, or 1-foot tap rest between notes. Stop after each position, and repeat the exercise until it's memorized. Then go to the next exercise.
Other harps will have do to do located in other holes, depending on the amount of holes, and whether the harmonica is in Richter system note placement (blues harp, tremolo and octave harps) or Solo system note placement (slide chromatics, solo system 12- or 14- hole diatonics), or bass or chord note placement systems.
Next, on a C harp, play notes d-d (re to re), up and down. Listen to the sound, memorize it. This is called 3rd position, or the D Dorian mode.
Continue, on a C harp, play E-E (mi to mi) up and down. Follow the above directions. This is called 5th position, or the E Phyrgian mode.
Continue, on a C harp, play f-f (fa to fa) up and down. Follow the above directions. This is called 12th position, or the F Lydian mode.
Continue, on a C harp, play G-G (so to so) up and down. Follow the above directions. This is called 2nd position, cross harp, or the G mixolydian mode.
Continue, on a C harp, play a-a (la to la) up and down. Follow the above directions. This is called 4th position, or A natural minor mode.
Continue, on a C harp, play b-b (ti to ti) up and down. Follow the above directions. This is called 6th position, or B Locrian mode (B diminished scale).
All of the above listed positions are playable on your 10-hole, tremolo, octave, bass, 48 chord or slide chromatic harmonica, without any bending, overblowing or slide action.
Seventh through eleventh positions are also available on the above listed harps, but you'll need to bend, overblow or use the slide to get the additional sharps or flats on the diatonics or slide chromatics.
I've been playing off and on (mainly off) for two years. I have a couple of diatonic harps in C a tremolo harp in C and now stata has sent a set of Lee Oskar Diatonics in G, F, E, Bb, Bm(d), and F#m(d) - a nice if odd range of harps!!
My dumb question number 1 is this. I can play basic melodies and pick up tunes by ear in first position but although I know the theory I can't make the move to playing in second or of the other positions. How do I go about playing outside my first position comfort zone? Plus any ideas as how to get the best from my odd selection of harps??
