High end 2cnd Position Playing
Hi David,
Thank you for the lesson on high end playing. I am still trying to figure out scale degrees and how to use them and you always teach as if we are using the C Scale or C harmonica.
In the PDF for high end playing the notation is in C i.e. 7 is a B 7+is a C, but the scale degrees seem to be for the key of G. Or am I misinterpreting things?
What is the best approach to think of scale degrees moving forward and is it good practice to know the scale degrees for each chord?
regards
Alan
Hi Brian,
Actually yes that makes sense, scale degrees in 1st position will be the same on all harps and scale degrees in 2nd position will be the same etc etc. So you would only need to memorize the scale degrees for each position and for now 2nd is the primary position.
Thank you for that Brian, and i am sure David will make it clearer.
Alan in Queensland
Hello Alan. I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons, I had fun writing it.
Brian, thank you for chiming in, you're exactly correct.
Back to Alan... yes, learning the scale degrees for each chord (Root, 3rd, 5th, and in later lessons flat-7th) of each chord (G7, C7, and D7 in 2nd Position) is very important, so you can start now if you wish. This will all reveal itself as you go through your LOA studies.
If you wish to fast-track this, then go deeper into the Music Theory studies, Improvising Studies, and Accompaniment studies concurrently (they work as a trio in this area of study).
Alan,
I hope you don’t mind me chiming in, but I am trying to learn this myself. So I think I know the answer to your confusion and am posting so David can correct me if I’m wrong.
While it is true, we think of the note layout of a diatonic harmonica in the C scale, we don’t lock in the scale degree pattern of the holes. Example, when playing in 1st position holes 1+, 4+, 7+, & 10+ will all be the root (1st degree) note “C”. When we change to playing in 2nd position the scale degree pattern changes. In 2nd position the holes 2, 3+, 6+, & 9+ become the root note (1st degree). As we change positions, we change the scale degree pattern.
On a C harmonica the 1st position root note is C (C-Major Scale), but in 2nd position root note becomes G (G-Major Scale.)
In other words, the scale degree for each note on the harmonica is dependent on what position you are playing the harmonica in and will change when you change positions.
I hope this helps and I hope I am not miss leading you. I’ve spent about a week a few weeks ago trying to understand the relationship between scale degrees and playing positions and I am mostly looking for confirmation that I learned it correctly.
I'm currently studying level 3 lessons which up to this point everything has been in 2nd position, I would assume lessons will be in 2nd position unless we are told otherwise.
Brian in Tennessee