Positions on the Chromatic Harp
As mentioned earlier, it is possible to play in all positions on the chromatic without bending notes. In fact, attempting to bend notes can damage the reeds and this can be expensive to repair. Once you are comfortable reading melodies in the key of C, the next step is to read some in keys relating to second, third and fourth positions.
You have already learnt the following melody in third position on the diatonic harp, so you will have no trouble playing it on the chromatic. Read the notation and notice that the same notes are used as in C major, but the melody keeps returning to (and ends with) a D note rather than a C note. This is because it is in the key of D minor. Minor keys are discussed in more detail in lesson 32. For now, just notice that the sound is different when the same notes are used around a different central point.
As indicated above, the eighth notes in this song are swung. Reading swung eighths is no different in standard notation to the harmonica notation you learnt earlier in the book.
Here is a melody your learnt in fourth position on the diatonic harp earlier in the book (CD2 ex 17). This time it is the third position in the key of D minor.
Here is the same melody in fourth position in the key of A minor for chromatic harp. On the recording, space has been left for you to play along with the band.
