[Harp-L] old beginner - pucker or tongue block

["samblancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I see where you are coming from here on the tongue-blocking vs. puckering
ombisure.  From some of the discussion on this and other lists you could
easily get the idea that it's an either or kind of thing and it isn't.  The
fact is you need to learn both. At the very beginning stages of learning the
harp, you really do need to get a pucker down so that you can isolate a
note/hole and get it to bend.  After you learn to do that I think you should
really get with the tongue-blocking ombisure and developed it as your main
method of attack.  First of all, tongue-blocking is one of the techniques
that give the Chicago style, or any blues style for that matter, it's
distinctive sound.  You can't do octaves or pull-slaps with out learning
tongue-blocking.  The other thing is that using your tongue will give you
way to move up and down the harp fast.

I played for years using only the pucker ombisure and I didn't really
develop as a player until I learned tongue-blocking. The good news it that
really isn't hard to do.  It seems like it is at first but it really isn't.
You'll be sort of sloppy at first but I guarantee you that after you get it,
it will feel as natural as anything.

The best tip I can think of for developing this skill is to get in the habit
of using your tongue with a lot of strength. Slap that tongue over the holes
like you mean it - don't be weak about it.  Use the top of your tongue about
a quarter to a half inch back from the tip.  As you improve you'll also be
able to use the tip for some stuff. I remember when I was learning this
stuff I got so good at playing single holes with tongue-blocking that I had
to re-learn opening the other side of my mouth (my left side) so that I
could do octaves. You will still have to switch back to a pucker when you
want to land on a hole and go into a full bend but alternating between
pucker and tongue-blocking is not that difficult. The fact is that playing
with both ombisures is just much more enjoyable and more comfortable.

Since you are just starting out on the harp here let me suggest you get one
or two of David Barrett's building harmonica technique books.  David
Barrette covers all this stuff

Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh

P.S. I can't figure out how to spell ombishure - I tried looking it up
online and just said f*ck it...