RE: [Harp-L] RE: Tongue-block (last one I swear...!)

["Allen Stratyner" <astratyner@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

   I agree with the comments about tongue blocked tone. The great Bob
shatkin used to talk about how the cheek vibrates like a drum head when you
create a channel on one side of your mouth with tongue blocking. Maybe
that's a partial explanation for the tone achieved?  Both embouchures should
be mastered. things like speed, and articulation vary greatly between pucker
vs. TB.
   Another great thing about tongue blocking is the ability to chord in back
of the single note. You can really create a  nice rhythmic back beat. The
late Bill Dicey put out some teaching cassettes many years ago, and gave
what I felt was good advice concerning practicing this back beat vamping. He
mentioned that his Dad and others of past generations used to play songs
like, "Take Me out To the Ball Game" using a tongue blocked back beat, and
suggested that working on some major melodies with that kind of chording was
a good way to practice, and become more adept at using that style for blues
playing.
                                                                            
                         My best,
                                                                            
                               Allen



-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of backbender1
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 3:08 PM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] RE: Tongue-block (last one I swear...!)


I agree that neither is "correct", unless you are
speaking about attaining a specific sound or
technique, in which case, quite a few things you can
do with TB'ing you cannot do with the pucker style.

I will add, and I understand quite a few people may
disagree and/or be offended, but I find that much more
players I listen to who use the pucker method have a
thinner tone than the TB players I have heard.

This is not to say all TB'ers have better, or bigger
(meaning warmer, rounder, thicker, richer) tone than
all pucker players. This is simply not true, but the
ratio is quite different.

I understand this may be "my idea" of what good tone
is, so to each his own.

When you look at the legendary sax players Lester
Young & Coleman Hawkins, they have two totally
different sounds and approaches. Most people would
describe Hawkins' sound as big & full-bodied, and
Lester's as softer & lighter. However I prefer
Lester's sound & style...and I find it warmer in
general, but two different sounds can be "correct".

-Dennis Gruenling
www.dennisgruenling.com

PS - boy, am I glad I won't be around long to see how
heated this gets...!



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