Lee Oskar Natural Minor HarmonicaThe Lee Oskar Harmonicas Natural Minor is a very useful harp that makes it much easier to play many musical genres that would otherwise be very difficult to play on the Standard harmonica tuning. Even if a player could master the highly advanced techniques that would be necessary to play certain melodies, one still would not have the chords and Minor scale notes that the Natural Minor provides.Natural Minor harps have a very bluesy, soulful sound that’s perfect for playing Minor Blues, Reggae, Ska, Latin, Funk, R & B, Hip Hop.Model: 1910N – Labeled in 2nd Position – Green LabelAvailable in 12 Keys (Listed low to high):Dm, Ebm, Em, Fm, F#m, Gm, Abm, Am, Bbm, Bm, Cm, Dbmhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlsrzTjaFuQVideo can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Lee Oskar – Natural Minor Harmonica (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlsrzTjaFuQ)About the Natural Minor HarmonicaThis fabulous tuning is set up to play Minor music easily, without straining the lips, the lungs or the mind!Note: The key labeled on the Natural Minor Harmonica is indicated by playing from the (draw / inhale – Cross Harp / 2nd Position) .Natural Minors can be played in 2nd Position (Cross Harp), to achieve the Natural Minor scale and the relative Major Scale.Starting from blow (1st Position / Straight Harp) you are playing in a Dorian Scale.2nd Position / 1st Position key labels are identified at the ends of the comb.In 2nd Position, many of the draw notes can be bent and this allows for a much more expressive, fluid style of playing. 2nd Position is a very popular style used by most players for today’s music.Understanding 1st / 2nd PositionAlthough it is possible to play in many keys of music on any one harmonica by using various positions, most players use only the first two positions, 1st Position also known as Straight Harp, (starting from Blow) and 2nd Position also known as Cross Harp (starting from Draw).Comparison:To make a Gm Natural Minor, we started with a C Major Diatonic (which plays in G in 2nd Position).We flatted 5 reeds to make it into a minor tuned harmonica. (Shown in yellow below)Then we labeled it in the 2nd Position key, Gm.This tuning is intended to be played in 2nd Position (on the draw).Notice how the available bends have changed.Major Diatonic HarmonicaExample: Key of CLabeled in the 1st Position Key (shown in orange as #4 Blow)Natural Minor HarmonicaExample: Key of GmLabeled in the 2nd Position Key (shown in green as #2 Draw)Natural Minors are key-labeled in 2nd Position.This makes it easy to know which key of Natural Minor to use.To play Minor music in the key of G minor, in 2nd Position, use a Gm Natural Minor harmonica. It’s that simple! Gm for Gm.Or to play in the key of A minor, in 2nd Position, use a Am Natural Minor harmonica. Am for Am… etc.Natural Minors provide five flatted notes for playing Minor music.
