Minor vs. Major Harmonicas - Playing in Minor Keys - Todd Parrott

[AcousticProductions1]

That was awesome! You play from your heart and with such soul. Really enjoyed this video & thanks for sharing your talent Todd. Brian

[AceOfHarps]

@rocklaw2 - These are pretty much synonymous terms. When folks refer to a diatonic harmonica, they are talking about a 10-hole, standard (Richter) tuned, harmonica. Sometimes this is also referred to as a blues harp, because this is the kind of harmonica most commonly used for playing the blues. However, what makes it sometimes a little more confusing is that a diatonic harmonica can be re-tuned to other tunings.

[escort325]

Very informitive tutorial!

[BlueMonk12]

Enjoyed your playing and the info here Todd. Great stuff. I'm not inclined to retune my harps (maybe I will at some point), so if I have a good 6 hole overbend, I can get the same note as you get with your flatted 7 hole - correct? Thanks!

[AceOfHarps]

@BlueMonk12 - Yes, the 6 overblow is the same note, but I use both. There are different patterns you can get with a retuned harp. You can slide into that note with a retuned harp, but this is not as easy to do with the 6 overbow. You can also bend the 7 blow on a retuned harp.

[nikko97144]

So you can play minor songs on a major harmonica, but is it easier to play minor on a minor tuned harmonica, needing more practice on a major tuned one?

[AceOfHarps]

@nikko97144 Some people would say that it's harder to use a major harp to play in a minor key. This is because a major tuned harp requires a little more thought and concentration to avoid playing notes that don't belong. While this is not a problem on minor tuned harps, with minor harps you lose some expression on certain notes because of the way the harp is tuned. I wouldn't say it's necessarily easier to use a minor harp vs. a major one, as both require adjustments in technique.

[onthebus17]

@Todd-Hey brother, I'm a guitar player and have trouble with Harp players sometimes when they sit in, or at jams, because they never want to play a Minor blues. Sometimes they ask what harp to use, and I'm like WTF, how should I know. It would be helpful to bridge the gap if I could tell them something. So do I have this right? If I want to play a slow blues in Am, and a Harp player asks me, I can tell him to use his D Maj harp? If it's Cm blues, then his F Maj harp, etc?

[AceOfHarps]

@onthebus17 Sorry for the delay.... Yes, you are correct, however, this can be tricky for some players as they will have to be careful not to play the major 3rd over a minor chord. (Many harp players are notorius for playing notes that just don't fit with the chords in the song.) A safer option for harp players may be to play in 3rd position - for example, a C harp played in 3rd position is D minor. A good harp player should be familiar with this - you shouldn't have to be educating them.

[nvonliph]

Man, I've got a Lee Oskar nat minor in A, but every time it touches my lips the only song I end up playing Darth Vader's tune. Every time. I've learned to pick up my D instead, since I prefer trek.

[ViewerMr001]

I was playing along with you on my C harp. It works.

[25lber]

HI Todd I have just got my 1st minor harp(Am) Lee Osker and this video has been very helpful to me, love your style of playing you are now in my Favorites

THANKS, Jim from IRELAND

[coolness312]

you are hands down a fuckin manimal on that harp love it!

[thewilliesmith]

I don't know anything about harmonicas except one thing: you kick some serious harmonica ass. Your playing is unreal.

[AceOfHarps]

@thewilliesmith  Thanks!

[gunzorro]

More awesome and intimidating playing at the end of the video! If you weren't such a nice guy, you'd be kind of scary with all that talent. ;) Nice work, and as always -- thanks for sharing.

[AceOfHarps]

@gunzorro Thanks man! Really glad you like it.

[realbudgiesmuggler]

Great answer,

Spot on evaluation of the 7th draw kinda like the whole harp tuning has one custom reed to get your bearings from.

With you on the notes what not to play as its a different animal the minor.

Backing off in any tuning and turning on in a deliberate controlled manner is what makes a proficient harp player in my opinion, Thankyou for sharing your knowledge your easy to understand and its appreciated, you rock Dude.

[realbudgiesmuggler]

Love your work Todd but whats your point ?

Seems to me majors are majors and minors are sort of dyslexic good if you play back to front and like playing a George Benson type sound but carn't nail it with a straight harp, personally I think minors suck.

[AceOfHarps]

@realbudgiesmuggler My point is that playing in minor keys is very possible on major harps, and that the flatted 7 draw tuning makes it even easier. A lot of people write to me and ask about playing in minor keys, so this video was posted to help answer that question. I was also trying to illustrate what notes NOT to play when playing in minor keys. I don't like minor tuned harps either, but Lee Oskar does some neat major stuff in 11th position on natural minor harps.

[swampratvabch]

You not only ROCK but you are so rounded with the harp that you are just to young for the talent you have... Like other professionals that are on albums around the world/ are you on them if not then most producers haven't seen you yet. B

[AceOfHarps]

@swampratvabch Thanks! I've played on several albums, but nothing that anyone would recognize.

[remkloveye]

Very cool video and you play fantastic!

[Breadstick1234]

you sir, are a very very good harmonica player

[hodgepodgeharp]

man i can tell you have alot of experience man. maybe one day i can play as awsome as you. but hey im not horrible. But you are really awsome man.

[AceOfHarps]

Wow, that's a very nice compliment - thanks so much! I just do the best I can with no formal musical training, but one thing that's really helped my harmonica playing is learning to play the piano. Having a visual reference for understanding chords and what notes work well with those chords has made a huge difference for me.

[Tsutsomu]

thank you very much Todd.

Friendly :

Steph.

[junquemonger]

I have been scouring the net for inspiration also as I journey my way into actually learning to play harp. Thanks for the clarification on the major vs minor, I understand it allot more now. I love the jam in the end, I would love to have that track to jam to!! You sound fantastic and have given me some new stuff to work on. thanks!

[AceOfHarps]

Thanks for the kind words - I'm glad this was of some help to you! The backing track may still be available on Guitar Center's web site. If not, let me know.

[timmy47]

ever use 4th position for minor stuff? to me that would make more sense than tuning the 7 draw down. that or 3rd position. im working on 4th position right now. dont see many people using it.

[AceOfHarps]

I use all 12 positions, though not all fluently, but I prefer playing minor tunes in 2nd position for traditional licks. I don't retune the 7 draw down simply for minor tunes, but for blues, and especially 11th position - it works great for that too. 4th position is neat, but can be awkward until you get used to it. 5th position is also another great position for minor tunes.

[timmy47]

actually im thinking that would be cool to tune the 7th down. that way i wouldnt need to overblow, which i cant really do yet anyway. but i dont know how to retune and im not sure if id want to change the other positions like 3rd, 1st and 4th. but for cross harp it would be a good idea. i havent really tried any positions beyond 5th yet so i dont know how good it would be in those.

[AceOfHarps]

Retuning is a pretty simple thing to do, and retuning the 7 draw actually comes in pretty handy in other positions as well as 2nd. You don't lose any notes by retuning 7, because you can bend the 7 blow to get the original note that you had on 7 draw.

[timmy47]

really? i didnt think you could blow bend on the 7. so, not an overblow though, just a regular bend? because i can deal with a regular bend. im shit at overblows though.

[AceOfHarps]

You can bend the 7 blow when you retune the draw reed down a half step. On a regular tuned harp, you can't bend 7 blow. And as far as oveblows are concerned, sometimes having a harp that's been set up for overblows makes all the differemce.

[Max0Inq]

I revieved today my harmonica (C major). I knew I have to got one when I played it on summer camp this year. It's really enjoyable instrument, but it's very hard to play good. I have no idea how to bend notes up and down.

[GreyOwlPhotoart]

Simply outstanding Todd!!! I have recently dusted off my old harps and started playing again and have been scouring Youtube for inspiration and technique development and I have to say that there are a great many talented harp players around these days. You have become my favourite player. You play with a graceful ease and have great clarity, fluidity and an especially wonderful tone. Thanks

Kieron

[AceOfHarps]

Wow! What a nice compliment! Thanks!

[quinoacat]

sweet jam todd...You, Buddy Green, Jason Ricci, and Terry McMillan are probably some of the reasons I still practice on Golden Melody harps even though I am not extremely fond of having my lips torn up, lol...Jesu, joy of man's desire and some other classical melodies just tend to ring truer with equal tempermant and they OB and bend OK too, even if Chords sound raspy. They have their purposes just like Minor tuned harps.

[quinoacat]

I have a Dm Nat. Minor Green Dot LO. I like to play it along with Alvin Lee's Bluest Blues tune...

[harpnmike]

Butterfield re-incarnated....Thanks for all the great tips this weekend. Mike in VB

[AceOfHarps]

Mike,

You're a fantastic harp player! Was nice to meet you at the VA Harmonicafest. I look forward to seeing some of your videos. Let me know how the flatted 7 draw tuning is working out for you.

[harpnmike]

Todd, That flattend 7 draw is the bomb! I wish you could make Jasons show next month. Have a good time at SPAH and I will see you next year in Williamsburg. Unfortuanately I'm still trying to get myself into the 21st century and have not learned how to post videos yet. Maybe next year. I really enjoyed your videos and hope to see more from you! Stay in touch-Mike

[BluezBro604]

good to kno...ever gig in ny?

[AceOfHarps]

BluezBro,

Thanks for your kind words. I mainly play out by myself or sometimes accompanied by a guitar player. Never been to NY but would love to play there someday.

[BluezBro604]

not every day u find a good harpist such as urself mate...u in a band?

[AceOfHarps]

Thanks! I mainly play out by myself with tracks, but occasionally play with various bands and artists. I also do session work from time to time.

[blogward]

You pitch the whole thing just right Todd. 5*

[jasonricci]

U rock

[ZackPomerleau]

Sounds good for Adagio in G Minor, of course, not in G Minor though :-P GREAT playing though!

[j3pilot83]

awesome dude! i dig it. Thanks for the info!

[pritchharp]

Great video Todd and inspirational playing. I tried out your suggestion on re-tuning the 7 draw and I love it. Especially when playing fast runs where I previously struggled to hit the 6 overblow quick enough! I'm thinking about tuning a full set that way. Anyway, keep up the videos, they're much appreciated over here in England! Best regards - Adam

[arbite83]

Nice Video Man,