Re: We all know about the TB technique but what about NB?

[Bobbie Giordano <bobg@xxxxxxxxx>]

AJ Johnson wrote:
>
>I could not get a certain tone quality in a draw bend. What happens 
>is that as I get the embouchure shape needed to get the tone on this 
>bend air starts to become drawn in through the nose as well. It is 
>difficult for me to control this and  get the note right. Block the 
>nose and problem solved.

Iceman6300@xxxxxxx replied:
>
>There is a voluntary muscle w/flap that does this for you internally. 
>It is a glottal stop, and is designed within the human body to enable 
>you to consciously close the gap between your sinus cavities and your 
>throat.

Sorry, but this is not accurate.  A glottal stop refers to "a speech sound
articulated by a momentary, complete closing of the glottis in the back of
the throat."  The glottis is the space between the vocal cords.  [The
Glossary of Linquistic Terms --
http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/]

To effect a glottal stop is to close off the airflow through the larynx, that
is, between the lungs and the oral cavities.  Thus, there is no air moving
through a "glottal stop", but linguists refer to it the sounds made when the
"stop" is released.

Hence, the application of the term for the initiation of a harmonica note as
often discussed on Harp-L by Douglas Tate and others, which is actually the
release of a glottal stop that allows a sudden burst of pressurized air on
either side of the larynx to cause a sudden pull or push on the harmonica
reed, kicking it into action, so to "speak".  [Sorry... tempting pun! ;)]

The oral area involved with shutting off airflow through the nose is in the
nasal pharynx, which is controlled by the superior pharyngeal constrictors in
the uvula/soft palate area of the throat.  It's a nasal stop, really, not
glottal.

>Many people were never aware of this and have trouble finding it 
>within themselves. Inhale with your mouth closed - in mid breath, 
>keeping the pressure steady with your diaphragm, stop the air flow 
>quickly. You will feel/hear a deep click from behind your sinus 
>cavity. This is the flap closing.

Unfortunately, stopping the airflow this way can also cause the confusing
action of the other constrictor muscles and those of the larynx, as happens
with a true glottal stop.  I suggest taking this exercise a step further.

Try this method to recognize the area you need to control and how it feels
when you do:

Close your mouth and inhale through the nose, stop the breath, which employs
those nasal area muscles.  But now, while holding that tensed position, [that
is, trying to inhale but blocking it,] open your mouth slightly to let the
air flow in.  If you still can't inhale, you are closing off the wrong part
of your throat down in the larynx area instead.

What may actually work even easier, however, is to reverse this.  After all,
the harmonica is an exhale instrument as well as an inhale one, right?  So,
close your mouth, breathe out through your nose, and then stop the breath.
Now, slightly open the mouth and let air escape.  The only way you can do
that is to open the trachea to the lungs by uncovering the larynx.

The feeling of tension to control that part of your oral cavity seems to
reside in an area above your upper palate in your mouth, and interestingly, I
find this same sense of tension appears when yawning... Maybe our bodies want
to close off the nose when yawning?  I don't know, but that's also something
I noticed.

Once you get one of these exercises to work for you, try holding the tension
while you switch back and forth between inhale and exhale... breath normally
through your mouth that way for awhile.  You may begin to be reminded of
having a stuffy headcold.  If you talk while holding this tension, you will
sound like you have a stuffy nose.  [I'b shoo you do whad I bead.] ;)  When
you notice the particular feeling, aim for it while you practice playing your
harmonica.

And remember... these sort of things usually develop somewhat on their own as
you become more comfortable and adept at playing the instrument.  Relax,
don't frustrate yourself too much... even "bag it" for awhile and do work on
some other thing for a time.  Then when you go back to it, a fresh approach
at it may just let things pop into clarity for you and you'll wonder why you
ever agonized over it at all! :)

Good luck!
=[BOBBIE]=
 
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>>>>  bobbie giordano  ¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤  harp spoken here  <<<<
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