I’ve been playing a short while now and have recently been messing around with third position. Playing on a G harp along to a song in A minor feels “natural” and the harp itself seems to inject a level of melancholy that you don’t necessarily feel with other instruments. It’s wonderful. However, I’ve found that I’ve been having problems with breathing while playing slant harp, and I’m looking for suggestions as to what I can do.
As a bit of background, I am asthmatic and playing at all is an achievement . My asthma is generally well controlled (Montelukast + Fluticasone, with relievers only needed rarely), but my actual lung capacity is considered low and I do struggle. I need to make sure that I “feel” my notes a little ahead of time to ensure that I’m breathing in or out where I need to, which sometimes makes it sound less natural (but on the counter-side sometimes makes it sound different to what “everyone else plays”). I use tricks like in second position I’ll choose 2 draw or 3 blow as needed for my current breathing pattern, and make it work.
With slant harp in a minor key, however, I somehow seem to always be running out of breath. I think a part of it is that it often feels like I need to resolve a lick on the root (4 draw) and go through the minor third (5 draw) and flat fifth (6 draw bend) and fifth (6 draw) and down the octave (1 draw and then a 2 draw double bend and a 3 draw triple then double bend) and you see I’m constantly drawing over and over and then I just need to exhale and throw the harp into the corner! I’ve tried to find “restful locations” that I can “breathe out with the music” and I can’t seem to make that work in 3rd position…
So, I’m looking for 3rd position hints: what can I do here? Are there any hints and tips? Do you “normies” find yourselves out of breath playing minor in third position? Am I missing something very obvious here?
(FWIW, I’ve bought a couple of Lee Oskar natural minor harps which are a lot of fun, but I’d also like to be able to play in third position…)
I don’t have asthma, but my experience is the more you play, the better you lung capacity will be.
I have given harp a break now for almost a month, and I went to play the other day and got winded fast! You just need to build up to it.
A trick you can do is to ‘dump’ air on blow notes. It’s hard to describe, but maintain a really loose embrochure on blow notes you want to dump air on. When you hit the note, breath out over/around the harp while playing the note.
But rather than loosening your lips the best technique to develop is to push lots of air out your nose on the few blow notes that you do have.
Also, pinch your nose when drawing to make sure that you’re not inadvertently allowing air in thru your nose on the draws.
But there’s another great opportunity for you to grow here. Stop ending everything on the root! It’s too boring and predictable, and the best players don’t do it. Try ending instead on the b7 (holes 1, 4, 7.) Instead of just playing -6 -6’ -5 -4 and ending there, add on a quick -5 -4 4 and play it with a confidence and you can find a whole new level of attitude.
Unlike major, when playing in minor the 4th interval (3 and 6) is actually a really nice interval to end ib as well. Instead of just playing -6 -6’ -5 -4 and ending there, add on a quick -4 -5 6.
The more you do this, the more you will fall in love with it. And instead of ending on the vanilla root, you can add more greasy, soulful, bluesy goodness by choosing these notes. Try it and LMK what you think! I’m stoked to hear…
Just wanted to come back and say this has been a game changer. The past couple of days I’ve been experimenting and you are absolutely right – I was artificially limiting myself by ending a lick where I “thought” it should be. Now I’m just letting it roll on to where it “feels” good…and in fact I’m finding you can sort of make it feel good almost anywhere with the right bit of emphasis and feeling. It’s almost like playing the blues
. My asthma is generally well controlled (Montelukast + Fluticasone, with relievers only needed rarely), but my actual lung capacity is considered low and I do struggle. I need to make sure that I “feel” my notes a little ahead of time to ensure that I’m breathing in or out where I need to, which sometimes makes it sound less natural (but on the counter-side sometimes makes it sound different to what “everyone else plays”). I use tricks like in second position I’ll choose 2 draw or 3 blow as needed for my current breathing pattern, and make it work.