[Harp-L] RE: U-Blocking (Groove Tongue) - [LONG Tutorial]

[Dina Janzen <dlj@xxxxxx>]

My thanks to Robert for an excellent discussion of U blocking.  I 
started with U blocking and used only UB for about 25 years, so I have 
a few comments.  I now split pretty evenly between TB and UB.  I pucker 
only for tongue tip effects

My main reason for learning TB was playing intervals.  I played them by 
U'ing the upper note and playing the lower note out of the left corner. 
 For me this required a big shift in the position of my jaw to one side 
and this eventually became painful.

With slaps, I prefer the sound of a TB slap which transiently plays 
notes lower then the destination note over a UB slap, which plays notes 
higher and lower.  However, hole 1 slaps can be done with UB and sound 
great.

I think my tone is naturally a bit better with TB, though I can match 
it with UB if a pay attention.

High hole blow bends are much easier for me with UB then TB.  The 
limited overblow play I do is with UB.

Jim R