Posted by Richard (198.172.75.3) on March 21, 2000 at 18:06:17:
In Reply to: 3rd position and up posted by david on March 16, 2000 at 15:30:12:
: I'd like to find out some info about 3rd position and up
: I'm familiar w/2nd but want to know the rules on other positions
It would take a while to provide information on each of 3rd through 12th positions. It helps to have some music background. However, here's the scoop for 3rd position. I'll discuss this in the key of C, but of course the hole positions hold for any standard diatonic harmonica, since they're all relative.
In the key of C, you play in C in 1st position and in the key of G in 2nd position (aka cross-harp). Going around the circle of 5ths, 3rd position would take us to the key of D. The D-blues scale is as follows: D F G A-flat A C D.
Thus, all the following notes "work" in 3rd position:
D (1-draw, 4-draw, 8-draw)
F (2-draw, bent down two half-tones, 5-draw, 9-draw)
G (2-draw, 3-blow, 6-blow, 9-blow)
A-flat (3-draw bent down three half-tones, 6-draw bent down one-half tone)
A (3-draw bent down two half-tones, 6-draw, 10-draw)
C (1-blow, 4-blow, 7-blow, 10-blow)
It's easiest to play in the middle of the harp, i.e. 4-draw, 5-draw, 6-blow, 6-draw bent, 6-draw, 7-blow, 8-draw. That gives you that nice wailing note on 6-draw bent.
(sorry if I made any mistakes--I'm trying to do this fast during a break at work).
Hope this helps,
Richard