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From: Michael Will
Date: Mon, 04 Mar 1996 13:08:25 -0800
Subject: Re: A Stubborn Position (think again)

Harmonica John Frazer wrote:
>
> >Bobbie Giordano wrote:
> frustration when I finally looked into the position designations
> >> of alternately tuned harmonicas. It made no sense, on its surface, to
me.
> >
>
> >> So what gives with the positions? Whatever they are.
>
> Michael Will replies
>
> >
> >If we accept the definition of position as "which hole and how it is
played as
> >the root note", then it is clearly defined. You can speak of the mode
> >associated with the natural notes (unbent) of a particular position.
> >
> >Let's look at the piano. You can start at any white key, and play only
> >successive white keys, and get a different mode (one associated with each
> >starting white key). If you call the root white key the starting
> >position, you
> >end up with the situation diatonic players are in. White keys correspond
to
> >unbent notes; black keys, bent ones.
> >
> >But that doesn't mean you can't start at any white key and play any mode
by
> >using both white and black keys. Straight and bent notes. Any position.
> >
> >Mic'l
>
> HJ re replies
>
> This does not work as well on a diatonic harp because of the changes in
> intervals from the low side to the high side. The closest thing to the
> piano comparison would be the C chromatic harmonica where the slide makes
> the black keys happen.
>

Mic'l again. Not saying a piano is like a diatonic. Don't see why slide
sharps (or upside down flats %^) is different in principle from bends to get
the same notes. Saying that playing modes in positions using so-called
natural
notes (white keys and unaltered blow/draw notes) is analogous. And, that
playing
any mode from any position using available notes is analogous (diatonic or
chromatic). And that we shouldn't confuse the terms mode and position, since


any mode can be played from any position

even though

each position has an associated mode that can be played using only natural
unaltered blow/draw notes

even though

which mode is associated with which position depends on the fundamental
tuning of the harmonica (concert, richter, "Melody Maker", natural minor,
etcetc)

Mad (ening?)
Mic'l