Modern Blues Harmonica - Third Position 2 (Gussow.076)

Second in a series. Here's the quick-and-dirty way to play third position harp: not just by warbling on holes 4-10 draw, but by leveraging the blues licks you ALREADY know, moving them up two holes and making small adjustments. This video is HOT! (Well, Gussow is overheated.)

If you'd like to purchase a copy of my new solo album, KICK AND STOMP (2010), please hit the following link. Only $10 for 14 tracks of harp-powered one-man band music, all for instant download. Liner notes included!:

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/kick_and_stomp.html

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• blues
• harmonica
• harp
• lesson
• Satan
• Adam
• Gussow

[gusset08]

Hey Adam, great videos and teaching style. Would it be easier to teach third position as the Dorian mode?

[KudzuRunner]

@gusset08: It certainly IS the Dorian mode; that's how I've always thought about it. It's a minor mode that includes a major sixth, and the diminished fifth between the minor third and the major sixth is the so-called "devil's interval." But sure: Dorian mode, supplemented with the flat fifth, is fine. Root, second, minor third, fourth, flat fifth, fifth, major sixth, flat seventh, octave.

[MrMomo06]

Hi Adam, I went looking for your third position bottom octave video. Did not find 'Third Position 3' video - do you have plans for this?

Also what is the correct name for a 7 note blues 'octave'?

Love your lessons.

[KudzuRunner]

@MrMomo06: I must not have ever uploaded a third video on this subject. Good point! On your second question: I assume you're asking about a two-note "octave" consisting of the 2 draw and the 5 draw? In second position, that's the root and the flat seventh: the skeleton of the dominant seventh chord. I guess you'd call it the dominant seventh chord--except that it's a double-stop, not a chord. (The 2345 draw is actually the dominant seventh chord.) So the answer is: I don't know.

[bluesmans1]

Great stuff, buy why is he in his car?

[KudzuRunner]

Because it's the place where my harp-playing buddies and I always used to trade licks, out in front of Dan Lynch, a blues bar in the East Village (NYC).

[MusicMan20061210]

He also keeps the windows up,to keep the troupers out...hehe

[MusicMan20061210]

For sure...that's why they play SLOW blues there...less perspiration...haha

[tjdemon1]

Hey Adam, your harp lessons are really helpfull + easy to understand, so thankyou for posting them...Ive finally decided to learn as much as possible on diatonic harps + even though its early days i'm loving it...Big thanks from the UK :-)

[FOSTA2036]

nice playing man and thanks for the lesson!

word of wisdom however:

turn the car on and use the air-conditioning ;)

[TenPukaMan]

adam, thanks for giving the insights to 3rd position away. i sort of discovered it trying to decipher jason's "marmoset:baked potato" song. and this lesson helped solidify my understanding of the blow/bend/draw for each hole. this is a major breakthrough for me to get to the minor blues. aloha and thanks.

[jimjheath]

Adam, this is so awesome what you do here. I have been watching your vids, for over a year - been playing for ~2 yrs. At first, i just watched - couldn't even pull a 2 draw then. Now I have my harp in hand and am really using this. I've also been learning tons from your MBH lessons. Been unemp. for ~ 1 yr and all I can do is get one lesson a month. It really lightens the load. Thanks!

[hyndmanstrider79]

Great lesson... try the A/C next time

[Geetar2112]

Amen to that - me too!