So my question is this - as a late beginner am I better concentrating on
tonguing or puckering to play the blues to a reasonable standard?
Paul, I've started the harp at 50+. I'm certainly not good enough to give
advice, but I'll tell you what I've found. When the real players chime in
and say that I'm full of it, listen to them. We are all different in how we
learn, but I find that it is better for me to work on several things
frequently in fairly small doses. It lets me extend my session in the wood
shed without getting frustrated (well, not too frustrated), and since
practice only makes perfect if you practice perfectly, which I'm not, it
help keep me from getting quite so good at making an error.
I'm working in three areas. Rhythm harp to get control of my breath and
developing proper timing. I'm less interested in speed that keeping time
with the metronome at the moment. Nothing screams "poor player" like poor
timing. Tongue blocking because it lets me do cool rhythmic things with a
melody in the form of chord self accompaniment. Puckering because it's the
only way that I can bend. Keep in mind that while I have fallen in love with
blues music, I like other kinds too. You asked specifically about blues. You
can't learn to play basketball if you don't practice, ball control,
shooting, and teamwork. I think that the same goes for learning the harp.
But then I haven't proven any of that by becoming a good harp player, yet.