Re: Tone Improvement

["Donnie MorTone" <mortone@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

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Larry...your transcending methods of imagery=20
and awareness of consciousness always amazes me!!!

Thanks for all your great posts over the years...

~Donnie~
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Iceman6300@xxxxxxx=20
  To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx=20
  Sent: Saturday, January 18, 2003 6:18 PM
  Subject: Tone Improvement


  When the player moves his consciousness away from busywork at the =
front of his mouth (what hole am I on, do I inhale or exhale, how is my =
tongue supposed to lie?) and focuses towards his lower throat (the =
"Yawning" area), into his diaphragm, and ultimately down to the soles of =
his feet (feeling the push of the Earth upward), tone =
develops/deepens/improves.

  Mental imagery also helps.=20

  One Augusta Heritage student in class at Blues Week was a young =
caucasian girl, very thin, about 105 lb. She had mastered the basics - =
single notes, bending, rhythm grooves, elementary solos. However; her =
tone was thin and reedy. I had her stand in the middle of the classroom, =
close her eyes and imagine herself to be a 300 lb. African American =
woman. When she had this visualization firmly in her mind, her body =
language changed. I then asked her to play. What a difference. The whole =
class was amazed. Big improvement in tone.

  The Iceman=20