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

["pbx3" <pbx3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi AJ,

I'm doing this. I tried to use some corks for ears (as the swimmers use) to
block my nostrils, but the result was awful. One of the corks stuck into my
nose.
So, I found out that I can easily block  my nose with my left index and my
right thumb when I cup a mic. The major problem is that if you can't do that
all the time during your playing, the sound is horrible. Very strong and fat
when your nose is blocked and thin and weak when your nose draws air.
The only way is to learn to control that muscle in the nose/throat passage.
I 'm not yet able to do that  because I don't practice enough.And I suppose
you are in the same situation.
Practice is the answer for everything.

Sincerely,
Alex
- -----Original Message-----
From: G. <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: walterwanabe@xxxxxxxxx <walterwanabe@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, February 13, 2003 10:40 AM
Subject: Re: We all know about the TB technique but what about NB?


>
><quote>
>From: AJ Johnson <walterwanabe@xxxxxxxxx>
>Subject: We all know about the TB technique but what about NB?
>
>- --0-579435644-1044894238=:20355
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
>
>
>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.
>
>...
>--->
>
>
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