Howard Levy-12th position

Playing Positions of the Major Diatonic Harmonica
Prepared for modernbluesharmonica.com by mr_so&so (v.1.1 Feb. 11, 2009)
Introduction
C Major Diatonic Harmonica
The addition of bends, overblows and overdraws (“overbends”) turn the diatonic harmonica into a fully
chromatic instrument, and many contemporary blues harmonica players are incorporating overbends
into their playing. Even adding just the 4, 5 and 6 overblows to your playing can provide access to rich
new musical territory, as will become evident in this document. Table 1 is a map of the notes that can
be obtained from a C major diatonic harmonica.
Bb
Eb (Ab) (C) Eb F# Bb Eb F# B
Blow C E (G) C E G C E G C
C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Draw D G B D F A B D F A
Db F# Bb Db Ab Db (F) Ab Db
F AA
b
Table 1: Notes Attainable on the C Major Diatonic Harmonica
Notes above and below the Blow and Draw rows are bends, except those in italics which are overblows
and overdraws. Notes in brackets are redundant; the same note can be achieved more easily or
advantageously elsewhere on the harp. The exception is 3 blow, which is used often, but less so than it's
equivalent, 2 draw, because of the tonal variations possible in the draw note.
Harmonica Tablature
We can rearrange the notes in Table 1 above to show the complete three-octave chromatic scale in
terms of harmonica tablature, which indicates both the hole number used and how it is played.
C Db D Eb E F F# G Ab A Bb B
1+ 1' 1 1ob 2+ 2'' 2' 3+ / 2 3''' 3'' 3' 3
4+ 4' 4 4ob 5+ 5 5ob 6+ 6' 6 6ob 7
7+ 7od 8 8'+ 8+ 9 9'+ 9+ 9od 10 10''+ 10'+
10+ 10od
Table 2: C Chromatic Scale in Harmonica Tablature
There is no standard tablature for the harmonica, so this is what is used herein:
3 = 3 draw
3''' = 3 draw bent down three half steps
10+ = 10 blow
10''+ = 10 blow bent down two half steps
4ob = 4 overblow
7od = 7 overdraw
Where a note can be obtained more than one way, the more common method is indicated in the
tablature (except for 3+ / 2 where both methods are shown so as not to obscure the availability of blow
chords, octaves, etc.).
Circle of Fifths
The “Circle of Fifths” is incredibly useful as a device for summarizing a great deal of music theory. Of
particular interest to harmonica players is the following use of the circle. For a given harmonica key,
the playing key for each position is determined by counting clockwise on the circle. For music in a
given key, the harmonica to play in each position is determined by counting counter-clockwise.
Given the notes of any scale or chord, harmonica tablature can be worked out in various playing
positions from the C major harmonica Table 2 above. A particularly useful interactive Circle of Fifths is
found at http://randscullard.com/CircleOfFifths/. This interactive Circle of Fifths gives ready access to
the notes and common chords of the various keys and modes of the major scale. It's all you need along
with Table 2, to work out harmonica tablature for whatever interests you.
The basic circle of fifths is shown below.
Figure 1: Circle of Fifths
The following pages provide the major scale and blues scales in each of the twelve playing positions of
the major diatonic harmonica, followed by some tablature for common chords used in blues harmonica
playing. The tablature tables for the playing positions are generic; they work for any key of major
diatonic harmonica, even though the C major harmonica was used to derive them.
The playing techniques common in second position, such as three- or four-note chords, tongue-blocked
octaves (or “splits”), double stops, etc. are all still available in other positions. However, their
effectiveness and appropriateness will vary since they will have a different relationship to the key you
are playing in. The individual chord tables help in the exploration of these differences.
First Position (Straight Harp)
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1st 8've 1+ 1 2+ 2'' 3+ / 2 3'' 3 4+
2nd 8've 4+ 4 5+ 5 6+ 6 7 7+
3rd 8've 7+ 8 8+ 9 9+ 10 10'+ 10+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1st 8've 1+ 1ob 2'' 2' 3+ / 2 3' 4+
2nd 8've 4+ 4ob 5 5ob 6+ 6ob 7+
3rd 8've 7+ 8'+ 9 9'+ 9+ 10''+ 10+
Second Position (Cross Harp)
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1+ 1 2+ 2' 3+ / 2
1st 8've 3+ / 2 3'' 3 4+ 4 5+ 5ob 6+
2nd 8've 6+ 6 7 7+ 8 8+ 9'+ 9+
9+ 10 10'+ 10+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1+ 1' 1 2'' 3+ / 2
1st 8've 3+ / 2 3' 4+ 4' 4 5 6+
2nd 8've 6+ 6ob 7+ 7od 8 9 9+
9+ 10''+ 10+ 10od
Third Position (Slant Harp)
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1' 1
1st 8've 1 2+ 2' 3+ / 2 3'' 3 4' 4
2nd 8've 4 5+ 5ob 6+ 6 7 7od 8
8 8+ 9'+ 9+ 10 10'+ 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1+ 1
1st 8've 1 2'' 3+ / 2 3''' 3'' 4+ 4
2nd 8've 4 5 6+ 6' 6 7+ 8
8 9 9+ 9od 10 10+
Fourth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1' 1 2+ 2' 3''' 3''
1st 8've 3'' 3 4' 4 5+ 5ob 6' 6
2nd 8've 6 7 7od 8 8+ 9'+ 9od 10
10 10'+ 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1+ 1 1ob 2+ 3+ / 2 3''
1st 8've 3'' 4+ 4 4ob 5+ 6+ 6
2nd 8've 6 7+ 8 8'+ 8+ 9+ 10
10 10+
Fifth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1' 1ob 2+
1st 8've 2+ 2' 3''' 3'' 3 4' 4ob 5+
2nd 8've 5+ 5ob 6' 6 7 7od 8'+ 8+
8+ 9'+ 9od 10 10'+ 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1 2+
1st 8've 2+ 3+ / 2 3'' 3' 3 4 5+
2nd 8've 5+ 6+ 6 6ob 7 8 8+
8+ 9+ 10 10''+ 10'+
Sixth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1' 1ob 2+ 2' 3''' 3' 3
1st 8've 3 4' 4ob 5+ 5ob 6' 6ob 7
2nd 8've 7 7od 8'+ 8+ 9'+ 9od 10''+ 10'+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1 2+ 2'' 2' 3'' 3
1st 8've 3 4 5+ 5 5ob 6 7
2nd 8've 7 8 8+ 9 9'+ 10 10'+
Seventh Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1' 1ob 2'' 2'
1st 8've 2' 3''' 3' 3 4' 4ob 5 5ob
2nd 8've 5ob 6' 6ob 7 7od 8'+ 9 9'+
9'+ 9od 10''+ 10'+ 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1 1' 2+ 2'
1st 8've 2' 3'' 3 4+ 4' 5+ 5ob
2nd 8've 5ob 6 7 7+ 7od 8 9'+
9'+ 10 10'+ 10+ 10od
Eighth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1 1'
1st 8've 1' 1ob 2'' 2' 3''' 3' 4+ 4'
2nd 8've 4' 4ob 5 5ob 6' 6ob 7+ 7od
3rd 8've 7od 8'+ 9 9'+ 9od 10''+ 10 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1st 8've 1' 2+ 2' 3+ / 2 3''' 3 4'
2nd 8've 4' 5+ 5ob 6+ 6' 7 7od
3rd 8've 7od 8+ 9'+ 9+ 9od 10'+ 10od
Ninth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1+ 1' 1ob 2'' 3+ / 2 3''
1st 8've 3'' 3' 4+ 4' 4ob 5 6+ 6'
2nd 8've 6' 6ob 7+ 7od 8'+ 9 9+ 9od
9od 10''+ 10+ 10od
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1' 1 1ob 2' 3''
1st 8've 3'' 3 4' 4 4ob 5ob 6'
2nd 8've 6' 7 7od 8 8'+ 9'+ 9od
9od 10'+ 10od
Tenth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1+ 1 1ob
1st 8've 1ob 2'' 3+ / 2 3''' 3' 4+ 4 4ob
2nd 8've 4ob 5 6+ 6' 6ob 7+ 8 8'+
8'+ 9 9+ 9od 10''+ 10+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1' 1ob
1st 8've 1ob 2' 3''' 3'' 3' 4' 4ob
2nd 8've 4ob 5ob 6' 6 6ob 7od 8'+
8'+ 9'+ 9od 10 10''+ 10od
Eleventh Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1+ 1 1ob 2'' 3+ / 2 3'' 3'
1st 8've 3' 4+ 4 4ob 5 6+ 6 6ob
2nd 8've 6ob 7+ 8 8'+ 9 9+ 10 10''+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1' 1ob 2+ 2'' 3''' 3'
1st 8've 3' 4' 4ob 5+ 5 6' 6ob
2nd 8've 6ob 7od 8'+ 8+ 9 9od 10''+
10''+ 10od
Twelfth Position
Major Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV 2 V 3 I 4 IV, V7 5 I, V 6 IV 7 V 8've I, IV
1+ 1 2+ 2''
1st 8've 2'' 3+ / 2 3'' 3' 4+ 4 5+ 5
2nd 8've 5 6+ 6 6ob 7+ 8 8+ 9
9 9+ 10 10''+ 10+
Blues Scale
Degree / Chords 1 I, IV b3 IV7 4 IV, V7 b5 5 I,V b7 I7 8've I, IV
1+ 1ob 2''
1st 8've 2'' 3''' 3' 3 4+ 4ob 5
2nd 8've 5 6' 6ob 7 7+ 8'+ 9
9 9od 10''+ 10'+ 10+
Chords, Octaves, and Splits
Various playing techniques sound multiple notes at once to produce chord tones and octaves for a fuller
sound. The effectiveness of the various accessible multi-note sequences changes with the playing
position. When playing blues, we are generally interested in expressing or implying the I, IV, and V
major chords and the associated “seventh” chords, I7, IV7, and V7 (which have an added flat 7th to the
major chord). Other chords used in 8-bar blues are II7, III7, VI7, #IVdim (Idim), and IVm. See Adam
Gussow's lesson on Eight Bar Blues (www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/5423849-eight-bar-bluesprogressions-
zip). Minor blues use the Im7, IVm7 and Vm7 and other chords. The following tables
provide harmonica tablature for many of these chords in the first three positions. When a chord cannot
be sounded in its entirety, it can be implied with single notes, the root and flat 7th being most effective,
followed by the other chord tones, or perhaps by playing arpegios (chord tones played in sequence).
First Position
Major Chords
Table 3: I7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+ 2+ 3+ / 2 3'
4+ 5+ 6+ 6ob
7+ 8+ 9+ 10''+
10+
Table 4: IV7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+ 1ob
2'' 3'' 4+ 4ob
5 6 7+ 8'+
9 10 10+
Table 5: V7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1 2''
3+ / 2 3 4 5
6+ 7 8 9
9+ 10'+
Table 6: III7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1
2+ 3''' 3 4
5+ 6' 7 8
8+ 9od 10'+
Table 7: II7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+
1 2' 3'' 4+
4 5ob 6 7+
8 9'+ 10 10+
Table 8: VI7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1' 2+ 3+ / 2
3'' 4' 5+ 6+
6 7od 8+ 9+
10 10od
Minor Chords
Table 9: Im7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+ 1ob 3+ / 2 3'
4+ 4ob 6+ 6ob
7+ 8'+ 9+ 10''+
10+
Table 10: IVm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+ 1ob
2'' 3''' 4+ 4ob
5 6' 7+ 8'+
9 9od 10+
Table 11: Vm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1' 2''
3+ / 2 3' 4' 5
6+ 6ob 7od 9
9+ 10''+ 10od
Diminished Chords
Table 12: #IVdim7 Chord
1 b3 b5 bb7 (6)
1+ 1ob
2' 3'' 4+ 4ob
5ob 6 7+ 8'+
9'+ 10 10+
Second Position
Major Chords
Table 13: I7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1 2''
3+ / 2 3 4 5
6+ 7 8 9
9+ 10'+
Table 14: IV7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+ 2+ 3+ / 2 3'
4+ 5+ 6+ 6ob
7+ 8+ 9+ 10''+
10+
All blow notes are in the IV chord.
Table 15: V7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+
1 2' 3'' 4+
4 5ob 6 7+
8 9'+ 10 10+
Table 16: III7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1ob 2' 3''
3 4ob 5ob 6
7 8'+ 9'+ 10
10'+
Table 17: II7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1' 2+ 3+ / 2
3'' 4' 5+ 6+
6 7od 8+ 9+
10 10od
Table 18: VI7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1
2+ 3''' 3 4
5+ 6' 7 8
8+ 9od 10'+
Minor Chords
Table 19: Im7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1' 2''
3+ / 2 3' 4' 5
6+ 6ob 7od 9
9+ 10''+ 10od
Table 20: IVm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+ 1ob 3+ / 2 3'
4+ 4ob 6+ 6ob
7+ 8'+ 9+ 10''+
10+
Table 21: Vm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+
1 3''' 3'' 4+
4 5 6 7+
8 9 10 10+
Table 22: IIIm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1 2' 3''
3 4 5ob 6
7 8 9'+ 10
10'+
Table 23: IIm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+ 2+ 3+ / 2
3'' 4+ 5+ 6+
6 7+ 8+ 9+
10 10+
Table 24: VIm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1
2+ 3+ / 2 3 4
5+ 6+ 7 8
8+ 9+ 10'+
Diminished Chords
Table 25: #IVdim7 Chord
1 b3 b5 bb7 (6)
1 2+ 3+ / 2 3'
4' 5+ 6+ 6ob
7od 8+ 9+ 10''+
10od
Third Position
Major Chords
Table 26: I7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1+
1 2' 3'' 4+
4 5ob 6 7+
8 9'+ 10 10+
Table 27: IV7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1 2''
3+ / 2 3 4 5
6+ 7 8 9
9+ 10'+
Table 28: V7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1' 2+ 3+ / 2
3'' 4' 5+ 6+
6 7od 8+ 9+
10 10od
Table 29: III7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1' 2+
2' 3' 4' 5+
5ob 6ob 7od 8+
9'+ 10''+ 10od
Table 30: II7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1
2+ 3''' 3 4
5+ 6' 7 8
8+ 9od 10'+
Table 31: VI7 Chord
1 3 5 b7
1ob 2' 3''
3 4ob 5ob 6
7 8'+ 9'+ 10
10'+
Minor Chords
Table 32: Im7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+
1 2'' 3'' 4+
4 5 6 7+
8 9 10 10+
Table 33: IVm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1' 2''
3+ / 2 3' 4' 5
6+ 6ob 7od 9
9+ 10''+ 10od
Table 34: Vm7 Chord
1 b3 5 b7
1+ 2+ 3+ / 2
3'' 4+ 5+ 6+
6 7+ 8+ 9+
10 10+
Diminished Chords
Table 35: #IVdim7 Chord
1 b3 b5 bb7 (6)
1 2''
3''' 3 4 5
6' 7 8 9
9od 10'+

that's too bad. 

I can generally get people to OB and bend in about five minutes.  Many times in about 30sec.  It's all about airflow control. 

I'm from MN, I know about hunting squirrels and fishing for carp. I think carp is some of the best smoked fish you can eat.

Buddha can surely relate to this-12th position is the sweetest sounding on the harmonica. And,as Howard states,is basically first postion without the dark sounding low notes. It is much more melodic sounding,and does not require the 6 overblow to make it sound sweet-I think it is relatively easy to hit the step and a half 3 hole bend for the blue third,and the half step 3 for the major 4th. The problem for some may be hitting these consecutively and at will.
Like Buddha says-he starts out raw beginners on Happy Birthday 12th position from the 4 blow.
Now -for some killer 12th position-checkout Dennis Gruenling on "JUMP
TIME" performing "Twelve O'Clock Jump" on a Low F harp while the band is in Bb. From the same disc-"The Jumpin' Blues"-Dennis uses a C Chromatic 12th position,while the band plays in F.

I used to work with a guy who played in a New Wave band back in the day.  The were called The Positions.  Bob (yes, another Bob) had a bumper sticker that read: I know all the Positions!  They disbanded and later came back as a new band with some new members, so his new bumper sticker read:  I know all the New Positions!  

That was a very good lesson from Buddha.