Playing chords on two diatonic harps

I am learning to play chords to Turkey in the Straw which is in G.
Using two harps G and C it is possible to play I (G) IV (C) and V7 (D7) starting with the C harp in 2nd position:
G chord: I draw chord on the C harp.
D7 chord V7 draw chord on the G harp
C chord IV blow chord on the C chord

There is a lot of drawing necessary to play this tune and when its fast its very hard to keep up.

If instead I do the following in first position:
G chord: I blow chord on the G harp.
D7 chord V7 draw chord on the G harp
C chord IV blow chord on the C chord

Playing in 2nd position is the standard way, particularly for the Blues? But is there any reason why I cannot play the chords in 1st position i.e I chord being a blow chord on the G harp etc? It is a lot less drawing throughout the tune….
I was just thinking that playing the Blues requires cross harp chords but maybe a folk tune/bluegrass tune doesn’t.
Any thoughts?

Gill

1 Like

This may interest you it’s a tunning developed by Tony Eyers called Major Cross. He developed it for fast playing of Blue Grass and fiddle tunes.

https://www.seydel1847.de/majorcross

2 Likes