Re: [Harp-L] Dry mouth on fast tunes - remedies?

["Rupert Oysler" <orupert@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey Winslow,

Are you starting out with your mouth moist, or dry? I've found that if my 
mouth is moist to start with (with it's own internally produced moisture, 
_not_ water, juice, vodka, etc....) then I do OK for most length solos. I 
have found "tongue exercises" to be a useful technique to moisturize the 
mouth, and also deal with pre-solo stagefright.

These are not exercises like push-ups, running, weight lifting etc. But 
'effortless' experiments in movement, where your attention is on all the 
mechanisms involved in the movement. Some basic movements would be like 
stick the tip of your tongue between your front teeth and upper lip, and 
then slowly move it from front and center to around the far right side, like 
10 times. Then front and center to far left like 10 times. Then far left to 
far right and back and forth (10x). Then repeat this pattern for the bottom 
teeth, gums etc. Then do a large circle all around the front, moving down to 
the bottom at the far right, then back across the bottom and back up to the 
top at the far left, round and round 10 times. Then reverse the direction. 
You can vary the pace and timing and attitude behind these movements, but 
not a lot of force and effort, rather watching the affect on everything 
including your neck, shoulders, breath etc., and always finding less 
effortful ways to continue the flowing movements.

By then the gig will be over and you can leave with no dry mouth 
problems....

Seriously, this sounds ridiculous in words, but if you experiment with these 
movements, you will find that you produce plenty of saliva, and a side 
benefit is it will definitely help your embouchure over time. It is possible 
to do these very subtly on stage in front of an audience with no one really 
noticing, especially just for a few seconds before launching ( you can even 
hold your harp and hands up toward your face to cover ...) If you practise 
these type of things in your spare time (driving, on phone-hold, while 
saying goodnight to your wife, etc.) the production of saliva will happen 
faster when you want it on-stage. The internal production will continue 
while playing, and you can use the inner awareness gained from these 
movements to bring it more to the forefront of your mouth where you may find 
ways to sneak some in between the harp and lips even while you play.

It also helps with playing didgeridoo.....

Rupert Oysler
http://harprepair.com/ 



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