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

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<quote>
From: AJ Johnson <walterwanabe@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: We all know about the TB technique but what about NB?



Years ago the in the first "real" band I played in I would sometimes pinch my
nose shut with the index fingers as I played. This is easy to do when you are
cupping a mic but looks a bit weird. The guys in the band told me it looked
funny so I stopped doing this. The reason I did "block" my nose was that on
certain draw bends I could really bend the note well with more control and less
effort. This morning while practicing I was frustrated because 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. I can do this in a less
conspicuous way by sort of cramming my fingers up against the nose. My question
is does anyone else do this or do I have freak of nature nasal passges? Is my
technique just wrong and this approach is a bandaid? Will w!
e start seeing NB treads in the near future? These and many more questions
inquiring minds want to know, okay, okay maybe I am the only one, sigh.

Thanks up front for any advice or help, AJ
</quote>

Hi AJ,
I've posted on various groups about this.  Eventually I should dig them all and
put a page about it on my website.

Breath control:  You're talking about learning to control air through the nasal
passage.

You need to learn to control your Uvula.  The dangly flap at the back of your
throat that blocks or opens access to your nasal passage.

In the short term maybe you could get a swimmer's nose plug - it goes over the
bridge of your nose.  See if you can get one either clear or the same colour as
your skin, even put some ubiquitous micropore around it.  That'll sort that
problem until you gain control over it.

Look in a mirror when its dangling free your nasal passage is open and you can
breath through your nose.   While looking in the mirror say "Ahhhhhh..." just
like at the Doctors, it should recede back and up - now it is closed.   That is
what you want to learn to do voluntarily.

I spent a couple of months inventing exercises for myself to gain control then
practise controlling the Uvula. I was trying to think of exercises that avoid
the mistake of using your tongue to block your nasal air passage instead of
isolating & controlling your uvula.

I guess you could say "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh" while you are playing.
I don't know.  :)~

While I was drafting up some suggestions I realised one way is to balloon your
lips & cheeks out.  But keep the pressure on them from your diaphragm and/or
lungs, not just by blocking the back of your throat.  You will know you are
doing it right by simply relaxing your lips to let the air go, you should
immediately exhale most of the air from your lungs, without anything shifting at
the back of your throat.

If you can do this then you are successfully blocking your nasal area with your
Uvula!  Because the pressure that wants to escape from your lungs has only two
ways to go, your mouth and your nose.

So do it a number of times.  Also apply pressure, then breath in through your
nose, breath out through your nose again, then balloon your lips as described
above.  Feel whats going on at the back of your mouth.  See if you can feel
whats happening.

If thats working, then balloon your cheeks, without forcing the air, gently let
a smidgin of air out of your nose, then stop it, your lips & cheeks will
momentarily relax then balloon again if you do this right.  When you succeed at
this, then you're ready to do the same when you are playing harmonica.

When you are ballooning your lips in that way, this is a similar breathing
technique when blowing notes.  When you can choose when to let air through your
nose, then you gain control over your tone and become much more efficient with
your air.  It helps breath control immensly.

Breath control is REALLY important to harmonica playing.  And because of that so
is controlling the uvula (and therefore air through your nose) and gaining
control over your diaphragm, and building up strength in your diaphram.

No luck involved, just practise at it and keep trying different things until you
get it, then don't let up!!

G.
PS.  I started out writing the following FWIW, but I think the above will work
well ...

<!---
One way of gaining control of your uvula is using your instinctual control of it
to help you feel where it is and whats going on.  In a swimming pool, the bath
at home or whatever.   With care, you don't want to drown yourself.
Try various experiments with breathing in and out through your nose.  Keep your
mouth closed.  When you put your head under water you'll automatically close off
your Uvula when you go to breath in.  Feel what goes on when you bring your head
out of the water and go to breath in, submerge, breath out through your nose,
then relax and pay attention to the area at the back of your throat & nose
area - you should feel a sensation.

At anytime you can practise breathing in until full of air, keep your mouth
closed, then breath out gently and slowly through your nose, try to stop the air
going out through your nose, then let it, then stop it, then let it.
Then do the same breathing in.

The trap with this exercise is you may use the back of your tongue to do this
instead of your Uvula.   You will realise this when you go to close off your
nose when playing and find your air stops altogether or you unintentionally bend
or choke the note you're playing.

...
- --->