Re: [Harp-L] Pucker and TB

[Mike Wilbur <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

That was a great explanation Phil

Mike Wilbur


> On Jun 13, 2015, at 11:58 PM, philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> The main advantage of using the tongue block method is that it facilitates the tongue-slap. The tongue-slap is a grace-note chord played before the single note on the right corner of the mouth. This technique causes the melody note to ring out -- because it is the highest pitched note of all the notes (the crunch of the grace-note chord) and the single note at the far right.  This means blow holes 1 2 3 are hit first as a grace note chord and shut off as soon as they are sounded followed by hole 4. To get a sense of this technique, simply play the  C scale starting on holes 4 - 7 and slapping the three-note chord (to the left) after every note -- blow or draw -- in the scale, ascending and descending.
> 
> The fake slap uses the pucker shape over three holes. It switches the widened pucker for a chord alternating with narrow pucker for center note. If the melody note is blow hole 4, the mouth is widened to play holes 3 and 5.
> 
> The main difference between these two slaps is that with the tongue slap  the highest pitched note (and loudest or most prominent) is the note at the far right. With the pucker method the highest pitched note is NOT the melody note; the melody note is the CENTER and tends to get overwhelmed by the notes on either side of it.
> 
> One advantage of the pucker slap is that it allows a slap when playing hole 2 -- because there is hole 1 to the left and hole 3 to the right to provide a chord slap.
> 
> This is not as effective playing hole 2 with the tongue block because only the 1 hole is available to the left of hole 2 and NOTHING is available to the right of hole 2.
> 
> The work-around for this lack of notes to the left of hole 4 is double Richter layout like Hohner's Steve Baker Special tuning which duplicates  the first  three holes that bend so there is a low octave and regular octave of draw bending notes. This extra low octave adds a bit of spice to the sound, kind of like SB II.
> 
> Seydel offers this tuning as well  and  a Sololist Pro 12 Steel Four TImes Richter where for sets of holes like 1 2 3 Richter.
> 
> 
> PS: The harmonica must be played right side up, low notes to left (NOT upside down) or all bets are off.
> Hope this helps.
> 
> Phil
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MundHarp <MundHarp@xxxxxxx>
> To: tnysteph <tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx>
> Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Sat, Jun 13, 2015 6:33 am
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Pucker and TB
> 
> Learn BOTH and interchange them... I do!
> John "Whiteboy" Walden
> Just now
> In bonnie Scotland.
> 
> 
> In a message dated 13/06/2015 02:20:30 GMT Daylight Time,
> tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> 
> I guess  some only pucker, others only tongue block. But some mix both into
> their  playing. I know Ronnie Shellist does both. I am trying to do the mix
> of the  two also. So my question Does anyone have any good practice tips?
> Any tips to  jump started this mix?
> There is a lot to learn with 10 little holes, lol. I  am trying.
> Thanks for any help.
> Tony Stephens
> 
> Sent from my  iPhone
> 
> 
> 
> 
>