Positions

Kid -

There's a lot of detail to answer the questions you ask.

I cover Positions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 12 in Harmonica For Dummies, including a full page of licks in all registers for the home chord of each position and a backing track to play along with for each.

The positions I named all have an unbent note as the home note of the position. So does 6th position (B on a C-harp). The other 5 positions all have a bend or an overblow for a home note, and so are used less often.

The bends are always in the same places physically on the harp, of course, but they occur in different places in the scale for each position.

Here are some general suggestions for getting started on any position:

First, I recommend that you start with the positions that have an unbent note for a home note. Again, that's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and 6.

Then find the home note for the position. You can build everything from that one note.

To do this, all you need is the circle of fifths and the note layout diagram for a harmonica in a particular key. I'll use a C harp to walk through this process.

C will be first position, and if you go right along the circle G will be 2nd, D will be 3rd, and so on. If you go left, F will be 12th, Bb will be 11th, and so on.

Let's say we choose 12 position, so that would be F.

Now, look at the C-harp note layout and find all the places where there is an F. Also look for F as a bend in the first octave.

Once you have the home note, call that 1 and count up the scale to find 3 and 5. Basic chords are built from a root note called 1, and include the 3 and 5 when you count up from that root. The chord of the tonic, or home note of a key, are the most important notes in helping you hear the key (and the position) and also feature prominently in licks, riffs, and melodies played in that position or key.

For instance 1-2-3-4-5 = F G A B C, so 1-3-5 in F is F-A-C. Now you have the home chord of the position

Now, identify the notes of the home chord on the harmonica layout, in all three octaves. Try playing from one home note to the next by going 1-3-5-(next higher 1) etc. Do this going up and coming down (i.e., 5-3-1, etc.) , through the entire range of the harp. Memorize it.

Now, counting up the scale from the 1, identify the 2. Now play 1-2-3-5-(next higher 1) up and down (5-3-2-1) through the range of the harp.

Now find the 6 and the 7. Try going 1-3-5-6-(next 1) and 1-3-5-7-(next 1), again both up and down through the range of the harp.

Now, find the pentatonic scale. For minor positions 3, 4, and 5, this will be 1-3-4-5-7. For major positions 1, 2, and 12, this will be 1-2-3-5-6. Play this scale up and down through the range of the harp.

Now, go back to just the basic 1-3-5 chord add the last missing note, the 4, to create 1-3-4-5.

Finally, add all the notes of the scale to the home chord:

1 (2) 3 (4) 5 (6 7) 8 etc.

By focusing on the home chord and adding notes to it, you'll strengthen your foundation in that position and also discover or create a lot of licks.

Now, look for other chords that you can add to create a chord progression in that position. this may not be a I IV V progression, as other progressions may be easie and fall more naturally in that position. Build your knowledge and experience with each additional chord the same way you did with the home chord.

Some of the notes in the home chord or in the scale will be bent notes in Holes 2, 3, and 10. Playing those is part of getting the notes you need in the position. Once you've successfully identified and played the home note, home chord, and home chord with added notes, then you can look at where the bends are on the harp and what opportunities you have for expressive bends.

Hope this helps.