Hello Harpsters of Sonic Junction - This week we start taking apart my new 3rd position blues scale study song “Third Is The Word”. I will be focusing on the Blues Scale in 3rd position for this song, and using techniques such as octaves, distorted notes, trills and tremolo. To start making progress with a new position, I think it is best to familiarize yourself with a scale such as this. So let’s all grab our A harps and let’s start working the Blues Scale…haven’t you heard, Third Is The Word!
- Dennis Gruenling
Topics and/or subjects covered in this lesson:
3rd Position
Print Chords & Tab
A Harp in the Key of B.
Loop 0:00 How Harmonica and Song Keys Relate in Third Position
Loop 1:57 Blues Scale in Third Position
Loop 5:50 First Verse Acoustically
Loop 6:18 Breakdown of First 4 Bars
Loop 9:57 Practice Loop of First 4 Bars
Loop 10:42 Breakdown of IV Chord and Back to I (Bars 5 - 8)
Loop 11:50 Practice Loop of First 8 Bars
Loop 12:08 Breakdown Last 4 Bars
Loop 13:10 Practice Loop of Last 4 Bars
Loop 13:24 Slow Practice Loop of 1st Chorus
Loop 14:03 Practice Loop of 1st Chorus
Loop 14:29 Closing Thoughts
Comments
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Hi Dennis, i will do my very best :-)))
Cool,also my new study piece..
Sounds good, Klaus!
Nice!! I wanna see and hear more!
Real nice! Good work on this so far. One thing you can do with this is just lay back a tad more with the phrasing, but sounds good so far Marc!
REPLY: Lay Back meaning time your phrases a little less on top of the beat, or a little bit more “relaxed”/behind the beat.
Thank you for your feedback, Dennis! I think you are probably 100% right that I need to lay back more with the phrasing. What do you mean by by "lay back more"?
Hi, Dennis! I've got two questions for you:
1) You mention that, in the first two bars, you play a lick with two 1 draws in it. Sometimes when I listen to the video, I don't hear the second 1 draw. I hear you doing a "pull". Probably my ears are wrong. Are you substituting a pull for the 1 draw?
2) You hit a 1+ on the downbeat of the IV. The 1+ is the four of that chord and a pretty bluesy choice to put on a strong beat. It sounds cool, for sure, but can you explain why you put that there?
Thanks!
EDIT: Oh! I caught my timing mistake on the IV lick. The 1+ does not land on the downbeat. Still, isn't this an aggressive note choice to end the phrase, especially in first chorus of a song?
Hi Marc - good to see you here!!
1) can you give me a spot (time mark) of performance video where this occurs so I know we're talking about the same spot? If it's what I think it is (the middle of the very first lick of the tune) then I am hitting the 1 draw twice. Not a "pull" (assuming you mean a pull of the tongue off the harp).
2) Why did I put that note there? Well, being that just about every note and pattern I play is improvised (yes, even in these study songs), I played it because it felt and sounded right for the mood I wanted at the time. It does cause some melodic tension because of the note that it is, but I believe in a good way :-)
--REPLY--
Thank you. Even while playing a blues scale, the 4th is in there. Ultimately it's the one note in that scale that really isn't great to start or end a phrase on (or to stress all that much) but it can be used to varying results depending on the approach and context. Specifially, I believe it also works in my case because that note is also the b7 of the root chord which is coming around the corner there and then leads your ear into wanting it to resolve up to that root note.
Dennis,
1) You're right. It's about 7:55 in the video. I'm probably overanalyzing this. There's a lot of complexity and nuance to your playing style.
2) Right on. Thanks.
hey this is arnold
Hi Arnold, this is Dennis!
Great start on this!!! Sounding good, keep going with it, this is just a teaser, haha!
Ha ha put it on slow motion and you sound stoned out of your mind too funny
Really dig this jam. I didn't think 3rd was cool but I didn't think of all the possibilities until now. Your a real good teacher.
Thanks man! 3rd position is VERY useful, especially for bues songs!
Third position is more clear now for me to understand Dennis, i practice your bluesriff with more knowledge of what i'am doing...thnx🎶👍
Thanks Jan - I'm glad you like it!!