Tongue Blocking, Saliva Problems

[ted@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Rhonda not Louis,

I have saliva problems too. Especially tongue blocking. Sometimes I feel I 
will gag if I don't stop to swallow, which is hardly possible doing a fast 
solo piece without breaking tempo or leaving out something. Which is the 
way I solve it playing blues-like a bluesinger leaves out an obscene word  
or implied rhyme. I keep the phrase going in my head and pick it up at the 
right place. Obviously this isn't possible with a fiddle tune. And then 
sometimes I have to stop between phrases to slap the harp on my knee, to 
clear it. At other times I don't have enough saliva, and have to put a 
little oil on the covers to keep my lips from sticking to them. This 
happens when I play a couple of original things, using original techniques 
I developed before I learned that *you should never take in air over the 
covers* (which drys the lips), as someone advised-which ain't no help at 
all, unless I just stop playing those pieces. Anyway, I have pursued 
answers to these problems for a long time, but have never found adequate 
answers. As for your immediate problem, I just keep a handkerchief handy 
and hide my mouth with my hands as I play. But then I have big hands. I 
have had a little success with (sorry if all this sounds gross, but then 
many instruments cause similar problems, like the trumpet, etc.) sucking 
the saliva down my throat on the draw notes, not a swallow exactly, but 
(hard to explain) kind of a quick gasp that takes the saliva down. I am 
continuing to work on this, hoping it will be the answer. Pros must have 
some way to handle the excess or the lack of, I just can't seem to get 
anyone to respond with a really good answer. Maybe someone reading this can 
help us both. 

Ted Allbritton
Ted@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx