When first started playing I was trying to play blues like everybody who has just bought his first bluesharp. I learned to play a second position bluesscale, but since I didn't think that it would fit on all the chords of the 12 bar blues I thought that I would also have to be able to play the first and third position bluesscales.
By the time I found out that you could use the blues scale throughout the 12 bar progression I had already learned to play the other scales and it turned out to be a rather nice thing to be able to do.
So If you are a second position player and you are familiar with the second position blues scale and you want to expand your abilities on the diatonic harmonica, then it might be a good idea to start from the different bluesscale.
Example 1: 2nd position blues scale, key of G bottom octave, C-harp
Example 1 shows the blues scale you are most likely very familiar with if you are a bluesharp player that likes to play crossharp, the second position blues scale starting on the hole 2 drawnote.
The first and easiest blues scale in another position is the 3rd position blues scale that starts on the hole 4 drawnote. It has no overblows and only one bent note: the hole 6 halfstep bend.
Example 2: 3rd position blues scale, key of D middle octave, C-harp
The next scale is the 3rd position blues scale in the bottom octave. It is a little more difficult than the one in the middle octave because of the large number of bent notes. These make the intonation rather difficult to get right.
Example 3: 3rd position blues scale, key of D bottom octave, C-harp
The next blues scale you might want to learn is the 1st position blues scale in the top octave. It also has no overblows or overdraws but it is a good workout for your blowbends.
Example 4: 1st position blues scale, key of C top octave, C-harp
The following scales require overblows, if you are unfamiliar with the overblow technique I suggest you visit www.overblow.com.
The first of the blues scales with overblows that you can work on is the 1st position blues scale in the middle octave. Although it does contain 3 overblows these are considered the "easier" overblows and therefore a good place to start. Playing the overblows in the familiar context of the blues scale will make it easier to find them and hopefully play them in tune.
Example 5: 1st position blues scale, key of C middle octave, C-harp
The most useful blues scale for second position playing is the 2nd position blues scale that starts on the hole 6 blownote. It does need the very difficult hole 7 overdraw (if you omit the hole 7 overdraw you have a G minor pentatonic scale which is also a useful tool in second position playing), but gives you great possibilities for crossharp blues playing.
Example 6: 2nd position blues scale, key of G middle octave, C-harp
Finally you might want to work on the 1st position blues scale in the bottom octave. The hole 1 overblow is difficult but the range of the scale is very useful on the IV chord of the crossharp blues, especially when combined with the second octave 1st position blues scale.
Example 7: 1st position blues scale, key of C bottom octave, C-harp
7+ - hole 7 overdraw
I dont get it ... so 2nd position blues scale &+ is overdraw or overbend?
Tinus, on the second position blues scale starting on 2 draw when it goes to 3' do you mean to bend it a minor third or to bend it to the blue third?
Micheal
First of all, congratulations. I can't really remember what lead me to this website but it's been really helpful as for expanding my blues harmonica knowledge. Thanks a lot for it. My question is this: Even though it would be incomplete for regular diatonic harmonicas lack holes beyond 10, is there a reason why you didn't include 3rd position upper octave blues scale? Maybe I already responded myself in the question, however, from 8 draw on I can't get nothing but what sounds to me as a minor pentatonic, without being able to get that 4th blues scale degree at all (I guess I'm needing a 9 overdraw, right?). I'm appreciating any guidelines, thanks in advance.
Voor blues en rock zou ik zeker harmonicas in verschillende toonsoorten kiezen, en die zouden ook nog half valved kunnen zijn. Bij mijn aanpak mis je inderdaad de akkoorden en als je die wil hebben ben je automatisch gedwongen om van harps te wisselen.
En overblowen is niet echt moeilijk, goed intoneren is misschien moeilijk, maar overblowen zelf niet mits je een goeie harmonica hebt.
Wat zou jij mij als beginnende speler aanraden voor rock/blues werk:
* de standaardbenadering met harmonica's in verschillende toonsoorten (nadeel is beperkte chromatiek)
* half-valved harmonica('s) in een of enkele toonsoorten. Dit lijkt mij een aardig compromis. Niet het lastige overblowen, wel veel tonen, en (!) akkoorden, als je de juiste harp hebt.
* 1 harp, en overblowen. Jouw benadering. Ik vind het fantastisch, maar harp is voor mij n instrument erbij en als het makkelijker kan (plus: mis je in jouw benadering niet een beetje de akkoorden? (tweeklanken/ drieklanken)? DANK !
Klasse en bedankt
groet
Ron
Een goeie leraar kan je in korte tijd op weg helpen waarna je zelf enorm veel kan doen.
Als je hetzelf wil doen moet je gewoon veel geduld hebben en langzaam aan dingen ontdekken. Harp-l is de beste bron van informatie online, daar kan je voor jaren lang dingen lezen.
dank je wel
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