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Let's Start Playing 3rd Position Now
Free video and Instruction:
https://youtu.be/gufWr0YCBMY?si=sapawDqSPvKYqJBa
Third Position always seemed like an exotic mystery. I finally got the nerve to explore it. Today, I use it on about half of my songs, especially if the song is a minor key. It gives you a fresh new sound, usually smoother than second Position, and you often do not have to bend notes (though it doesn't hurt).
What Key Harp Do You Need For Jamming in 3rd Position?
You determine what key the music is in and choose the harp that is one step back. If the music is in the key of A minor, you play a G harp. If the music is in the key of D, play a C harp. My favorite harp for playing 3rd position is the G harp. As stated above, that would be in the key of A minor.
Learning Platform: 3rd Position
One of the advantages of 3rd Position is it’s easier than 2nd Position with a natural blues scale between holes 4 and 10. That scale is
4d 5d 6b (6d*) 6d 7b 8d 9b 10d 10b.
A basic Up and Down Blues riff is
4d 5d 6b 6d*6d
Other than that optional easy bend at 6 draw, there are no bends.
Why Is It Called 3rd Position?
This is a bit of a rabbit hole. What’s important in my philosophy is that you start wailing first, and learn details like this later. However, I’ll say this: the ordering of 1st, 2nd, 3rd positions, 4th, 5th, on up to 12th position follows a standard musical concept called the Circle of Fifths.
Comparing 2nd to 3rd Position
Almost everybody starts playing blues harp in Cross Harp, also known as 2nd Position, so let’s understand 3rd Position by comparing it to 2nd Position.
In 2nd Position your main root note is 2 draw. Four draw is a wailing note. It creates tension and almost always works with the music. The notes in between are Stepping Stone Notes. The first 2nd position riff I teach my beginners is:
The Up & Down Blues Riff
(2nd position)
2d 3d 4b 4d (pause) 4d 4b 3d 2d
You can use the combinations of Up and the Down Riff to play solo or jam with your guitar player. While this is a great start, you soon realize how important the bent blue notes are, especially at 2 draw**, 3 draw*, 4 draw*, and 6 draw*.
To help illustrate this, here’s the famous line from Willie Dixon’s blues masterpiece “Spoonful” in 2nd Position. If the music is in the key of A minor, you play a D harp. It’s not that hard, but there’s that half-step bend* on 3 draw which is very important to
2nd Position Spoonful
2d 3d* 2d 3d* 2d 3d* 2d
That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful.
Same riffs in 3rd Position.
3rd Position Up & Down Riff
4d 5d 6b 6d (pause) 6d 6b 5d 4d
3rd Position "Spoonful"
You play that opening line by going between 4 draw and 5 draw. There are no bends, and it sounds great! Those notes that were so hard to get in Cross Harp are easy in 3rd Position.
3rd Position "Spoonful"
4d 5d 4d 5d 4d 5d 4d
That spoon, that spoon, that spoonful
You can play the entire song in 3rd Position with no bends.
Here's a 6 minute excerpt from my 110-minute video, 3rd Position Forever, that shows you how
Free Spoonful Lesson tab and song
This video/lesson is an excerpt from my instructional masterpiece "3rd Position Forever" Grab yiur G harp and let's learn and jam:
https://youtu.be/gufWr0YCBMY?si=MbbB3fN69gbDZqRJ
Want to get into it more deeply?
3rd Position Forever!
:I just completed a 10-chapter 120-minute instructional video I named "3rd Position Forever." It is the sister to "Cross Harp Forever." These two master classes are complete courses for beginner through intermediate.
http://www.Gindick.com
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