Re: [Harp-L] curious how many do this...

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

I do use this technique.

I've heard of players who pucker below Hole 4 or Hole 3, and tongue block above that point, and the tongue-off, tongue-on move could easily be part of the picture in that situation.

For me, I often like to play a chord and then move to a single note using the tongue-off, tongue-on method.

When I play fiddle tunes, I use a similar technique in a slightly more elaborate way. Sometimes there's a "hitherum" - a note repeated fast three times, followed by a leap to a note several holes away. It's easiest to play the hitherum by saying (duddle-uh) with the tip of the tongue on the roof of the mouth (tongue-off), so I'll do that and the slap the tongue onto the holes between that hole and the target hole for the next note (tongue-on).

I agree that it's not really tongue switching - or at least not corner switching. But it's in the arsenal of related techniques in which you use your tongue to select notes.
 
Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5
            Harmonica Basics For Dummies, ASIN B005KIYPFS
            Blues Harmonica For Dummies, ISBN 978-1-1182-5269-7
Resident Harmonica Expert, bluesharmonica.com
Instructor, Jazzschool for Music Study and Performance


________________________________
 From: W B <wbharptime2@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Saturday, October 13, 2012 10:32 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] curious how many do this...
 
One thing I started doing a while back was when puckering the 2 hole
draw and then wanting to get to the 4 hole blow I would just stay
right there and then just apply my tongue to the comb while exhaling
to instantly get the 4 blow. Is this a common thing amongst the crowd?
I don't think it would be considered tongue switching but it surely
gets from point A to B in a swift and lovely fashion. Typically after
that I would continue up the harp tongue blocking and only switch back
to pucker back below the 4. Thoughts, comments?

WB