re:is this right?

[hippo@xxxxxxxxxx (Hugh Messenger)]

At 8:18 9/28/94, Michael Geary wrote:
>>I was wanting to know if bending the harp upwards i.e. tilting it
>>towards my upper lips, and doing a note bend, a correct technique?
>>I found it to produce a cleaner tone since my pucker usually leaks
>>due to the lack of practice.
>
>Cheng Ann, I seem to recall one of the harp books suggesting this very
>technique.  I can't seem to find my copy, but it might have been in _Blues
>Harp_, suggesting tilting the harp up to make it easier to bend notes.
>
>Is it a "correct" technique?  I'll defer to the experts here.  But if it
>works... <g>

I do it sometimes on high end harps (E and above) on the lower holes,
especially hole two.  Blocking off just a little bit of the hole with the
lower lip by tilting the harp enables me to get a sweeter tone.

I wouldn't recommend it as a general bending technique, though.  Too clumsy
- very difficult to do quickly or precisely.

>
>-Mike

   -- hugh