[Harp-L] Re:Lip Block (Was Any Help Out There (LONG)

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

Uh-Oh,  the new guy(me) who nobody's heard play has gotten to pontificating again.  Fair warning.  I let go at the end of this one, and I have NO REPUTATION as a harp player.  I need to work on that...  Anyway, here's the post.
 
Is there a point, folks, where you can just say,  "do what works" ? I had no conscious awareness of exactly how many holes where blocked, or covered during the TB or not TB embouchers that I employ.  My philosophy is and was,  "whatever works baby"
 
Thanks to you son of a gun (s)  ( and I say that with a smile)  and your overly analytical ways as a group, I got to thinking as I was practicing.
 
I cover the same 3 or 4 holes whether tongue blocking or "lipping"  The experiment I stumbled upon was that I forced myself to play a few minutes solely without the tongue block.  Then I stopped and held a note.  I then cycled back and forth between blocking and not blocking, and it turns out the difference in overall mouth shape and openness wasn't very great. Bringing up the tongue, let me count the holes that were just open during the "pucker"  The TONE didn't really change much, and as I switched, I became acutely aware that the pucker was indeed coming from a very wide emboucher.  Definitely not the "straw".
 
Dan's bottom lines on tone:  Guys like Winslow state this kind of stuff all the time, but it's nice for me to collect my own version and thoughts in case I ever have to try and teach it.
 
1. Whether one decides to tongue block, u block or "pucker" the key is to, practice and actively listen to yourself.  The tone will come, but it's a matter of touch and not settling for poor tone.  Too many folks start to "get licks" but forget that their tone starts and ends one note at a time.
 
2. Articulate any way possible, and as many ways possible to color your sound. Dynamics, tongue blocking effects, rat-tat-tat-tat tongue on teeth effects, vowel sounds, hand cupping....  grunts......no hands playing....
 
3. Don't believe too many "rules" or zealots, figure it out for yourself.  It's far too easy to get caught up in "all or nothing" philosophies, but a lot can be missed  when one says things like,  "I'll never overblow"  or "I'll never tongue block", or  "Tongue blocking is the only way"   (I've said all these things, and been wrong every time)
 
This thread started with a beginner, and I hope one or two reads it.  
 
My biggest  message to a beginner  is one I've wanted to say on this list for years.  It's the reason I left it in the first place.  
 
Don't spend too much time thinking about it, typing about it, or reading about it. Just play the damn thing.  Get a nugget or a nudge in the right direction, then GO PLAY.  Don't worry so much about spending money on it, or trying to understand all the nuances just yet.  There are far too many longtime harmonica players in this world who have great gear, unbelievable stories, custom harps, subscriptions to harp-l, bands, cd's etc etc etc.  But just don't have IT.  IT comes with time.  IT comes with practice.  Stick the damn thing in your mouth and just play.  Play because you love it.  Play because you want to be your best.  Just play.
 
 
 


harp-l-archives@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:___________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Message: 1 
Date: Tue, 16 Nov 2004 20:42:15 +0000 (GMT)
From: sean stephens 
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Lip Block (Was Any Help Out There)(LONG!)

Sorry, my question then is this,after starting on
hole2 blocking #1 and moving upwards to 3b
blocking#1@2 and so on, when playing a walking 12
bar/shuffle ,blues101 theme, should you eventually end
up using a three hole block or continue with 2 holes
especially when playing counterpoint below the melody
note.Also, when on #4draw and you are going to gliss
down to #1draw quickly pucker or to a right block .
Would sincerely appreciate any advice .Apologies for
length.
Kind regards .Sean





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