[Harp-L] Re: Bending at the back of the throat

[G <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 07:35 16/11/04 -0800, Dave Murray wrote:
>On Wed, 17 Nov 2004, G wrote:
>> Something I've really benefited from is learning to bend when tongue
>> blocking - bending at the back of the throat, instead of the front of
>> your tongue (from your uvula forward) - this year its really started to
>> come together for me - and as I've written here before, I've endevoured
>> to use that bending technique when using pucker because I enjoy the
>> tone.  The benefit, which was unexpected is I can now play pucker and
>> articulate and use effects that pucker offers WHILE bending at the same
>> time.  This is something that will aid with bent key notes. I continue
>> to work on intonation of bends, and have been working on tongue blocked
>> blow bends in the upper register and some basic overblows using tongue
>> block - which I can demonstrate given enough attempts, but lacks any
>> control and hardly practical for me to incorporate in my playing yet.
>I know that I'm asking the impossible, but would you attempt to describe 
>how you do that?
>Peace and music,
>Dave

Lots and lots of practice.
  Say the letter "K".
Prounounce "G" as you would at the start of a word like "Goat"
Cough lightly.
Thats the region of your throat/larynx/back of tongue that I'm referring to.
If you have control over your uvula, you'll already have some familiarity
in that area.

I'm not sure what else to say, other than I learnt more quickly with
persistant trial and error, than reading emails, no matter how descriptive.
Your body will find a way, not your brain.
You have to start all over again, but you have the benefit of your
experience with the instrument and know what to expect and what you're
capable of.  
Start on 4'-  - and to spell out the obvious low pitch notes need a more
open cavity, high pitch notes need a more closed cavity.

-- G.