[Harp-L] In re: RE: response to Elizabeth: how to tongue block (MLeFree)

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

Thanks,  Michelle!  Pleased to meet you too.   How nice to hear from  another 
woman harmonica'er.  (notice I'm still trying to come up with an  acceptable 
(to me) name).  As to TB'ing, well all these written  instructions sure seem 
to  sound simple enough to the writers, but I  confess trying to follow them on 
my own has so far been an exercise in  futility.  Someone in my general 
vicinity has, however, offered to actually  demonstrate the technique in person.  
Given that it's cookie-baking time  (one of the problems inherent with being 
both a woman and a budding musician ),  I'm going to have to postpone until 
after the Holidays to take him up on his  offer.  
 
Honestly, I have no idea  what half the terms are that you all are using:  
"bending", "slapping" and  the like.  I've operated purely on instinct for all 
these years, never  having opened a book about harmonicas or "mouth organs" as 
I remember them being  called when I was a kid, too. I very well may be doing 
some of those  things, but never knew the terms for them.  I did learn to read 
 music with piano lessons as a kid, but have forgotten most of it by now.   
Play keyboard by ear as well.  I think it's obvious by now how  much I dislike 
the very idea of "structure" to my playing since it all  seems just too much 
like homework, when I've been having the time of my  life lately playing music 
I never before realized I could.  Regardless,  I will still check out the 
various techniques suggested by the many  good people here since I have a stubborn 
streak and am  now intrigued. 
 
 Thanks for your  take on  "hat hair" <G> - we women do have to keep up some 
kind  of standards!  
 
Elizabeth
 
 
 
"First, my hearty welcome to Harp-l, Elizabeth.   You're quite correct, there
aren't too many lady harmonica players.  I  kinda like that, though.  ;)

Harp-L has some "kinks" every now and  then, but you've struck the "mother
lode" of harping!  As you have  already discovered, the way to get the most
of it is to... participate!   (But don't forget to check out the Harp-L
archives  (http://harp-l.org/pipermail/harp-l/) You are fortunate to have
come along  after the Harp-L worker's recent change of servers and list
software.   Everything has much more user-friendly since then.  Thanks again
you  Harp-L workers!

Now to my post-
David R. Fertig wrote:
> ...  note, you don't need a whole durned book to
> learn tongue blocking, a  visual demo is best, but  I'll try getting you
> started with a few  words.  See below.

You may not ~need~ a book, but having Jerry  Portnoy's Masterclass book/CD
set will be a huge help with this and other  techniques and concepts.  I
can't say enough about this learning  resource.  Many others who've benefited
from it agree.

> Oh,  and the albums Froggy recommends (he meant "Folkways") are right on,
>  too.  Also, the late William Clarke does some monster tongue-block
>  chording, get any or all of his albums.

Little Walter is my favorite  TB'er.  An artistic genius as well as a master
harp player.  Get  Chess' "Little Walter: His Best" and listen to--no--study
it!

> And  as Garry helpfully notes, there are blues jams in your neighborhood,
>  several, I'd bet.  I've found them all over the US, and in Europe
>  too.  Especially Sunday and Monday evenings at weekend blues  venues.
Don't
> be shy, almost all blues players are generous and  supportive.  Those that
> aren't generous and supportive are little  more than showoff technicians,
as
> far as I'm concerned.  (So  there!)

More excellent advice.  Don't wait until you think you are  ready to play at
the jams, though.  Having met and gotten to know the  players and supportive
cast and the music they play will be a big help to you  when it comes time
for your turn on the stage.

> For tongue  blocking, all you really need to do is:
>
>       Put the harp well into your mouth, open your mouth wide enough  so
> you're blowing in (or out) at least four holes (try the low side  for
> starters).

Yes, yes...

>         Then simply put your tongue against two holes so that you  have
air
> going thru one hole on either side of your tongue, it should  be an octave
> in most positions.

Yes...

I'd add that, like  most other aspects of playing a harmonica (or any other
music instrument),  relaxing is key to TB'ing.  You don't nee to "firm" up
you tongue or  press it firmly against the comb.  Just enough pressure to
cover the  holes that need to be covered.  If you use a "soft" tongue the
concept  of tip, top or bottom of the tongue becomes more nebulous.  Just
find  the position that feels right to you.

>         Try moving your tongue left and right, and vary the width of your
>  mouth, or "embouchure" to vary the number and range of notes.  Sure  it
> seems awkward at first, but you'll get the hang of it.  Also  move your
> tongue on and off the instrument rhythmically, going from open  chord to
> tongue-blocked  chord.

I think those are more  advanced TB techniques.  I'd suggest starting by
simply covering 4 holes  with your mouth (you can use your fingers placed
over the holes to either  side as a guide) and then finding the tongue
position that most comfortably  yields a single note.  Then learn to play
your single note melodies  using your newfound (usually) left tongue-blocked
embouchure (meaning that  the holes are blocked to the left side and the open
hole is to the right side  of your oral aperture).  Once you're comfortable
with that embouchure  and can play single note tunes or licks fluidly, try
hitting a 4-note chord  and then "slapping" your tongue to its left-block
position, leaving the  single right-most hole open to sound--the so-called
"tongue-slap".  This  will add much richness to your playing and is ample rea
son to learn to TB in  and of itself.  But there's lots more as  Dave
suggests.

>          Repeat all of  the above two thousand times, and presto!  Whole
new
> tones and textures!

Once you can play melodies with a tongue-slap the world of  TB'ing is wide
open to you.  Do the opposite of the slap and lift the  tongue after playing
a single note to reveal a rich chord lying  underneath.  Try tongue-switches,
alternating between the left and right  TB.  Try that as you "gliss" up and
down the harmonica.  Another  cool technique is the tongue flutter where you
rapidly lift and apply your  tongue (as an altenative to a head shake).  As
Dave suggests, the more  your tongue becomes comfortable on that comb, the
more facile and varied your  TBing will become.

>          Just remember,  whether you're tongue blocking or not, try to keep
> your jaw low and  loose, your throat fully open, and breathe with the
bottom
> of your  gut.   And push that air through with steady and solid force,
>  tentative don't get it.   But you don't need to bust a gut  either.

Yes, again!

There's one final frontier to TBing that Dave  didn't mention, TB bending.
The better your pucker bends are and the better  you understand what is going
on with them, the easier TB bending will  come.  I suggest that learning to
"throat" bend as opposed to  tongue-at-the-front-of-the-mouth bend will be a
huge step on the way to your  TB bending, but that is another chapter...

> That's about all I know  about harpmonica.  Oh, and you need a cool hat!

You know much about  our little instrument, Dave, and thanks for sharing it.
But, I've gotta side  with Elizabeth on the hazards of "hat hair".  Go for
some cool shades  instead, Elizabeth.  :)

And have fun  TBing!

Michelle