RE: [Harp-L] tongue roll - same as tongue flutter?

[tom ball <havaball@xxxxxxx>]

Michelle writes:
> I personally find the "tongue flutter" an elusive technique.  I'd swear I
> hear Little Walter and Sonny Terry using these tongue flutters, but then
> again I have difficulty pointing out a specific example.  Can anyone shed
> some more light on this technique?  How many holes are covered with the
> tongue?  I can't seem to do it with less than 2-3 holes, but I think I hear
> it done with only one.  I find it nearly impossible to twist my tongue into
> the "vertical" orientation that would be required to "flutter" a single
> hole.  So, I can't do it with only one hole and it doesn't sound right if I
> use more than one hole.  Also, the motion involved is a bit mysterious.
> Gary mentioned the tongue is tilted slightly up and moved side-to-side.  Tom
> mentioned bouncing it up and down.  No one mentioned actually lifting it and
> replacing it repeatedly.
>
> Can anyone cite some examples I can study?  I don't recall seeing it in your
> LW/BW or ST "licks" books, Tom.
______________

Hi Michelle,

To me it's just a matter of semantics -- I don't know how everyone 
else refers to these techniques, but I doubt there is any real 
concensus as to what constitutes a tongue "flutter" as opposed to a 
"roll," etc.  Or is there(?) <g>

To my way of thinking, "trills" are the quick back and forth motion 
between two side-by-side holes.  Personally I find this easiest to do 
by pivoting and wobbling the wrist while keeping the head stationary; 
however I've seen several players achieve the same effect by keeping 
the hands stationary and wobbling the head. (George Smith comes 
immediately to mind.)  And some folks do this with their tongue -- 
something I wouldn't particularly recommend, as it tends to tear up 
the tip of the tongue, especially if you play wood comb harps.

As to the tongue flutter, I never mentioned it in the LW book because 
LW didn't do it often.  Sonny Terry, on the other hand, used it a 
lot.  To my ears it sounds more like he's playing a three-hole chord 
(usually inhaled) and fluttering the tongue very quickly up and down 
(ie north and south) over the comb.  Having said that, Gary mentioned 
(and I trust his ear) that Sonny also tongue trilled side to side (as 
described in the previous paragraph.)

Then there is the other method (which you point out above) wherein a 
player lifts and replaces the tongue repeatedly.  This is often used 
as the last note of a song, wherein the player is hitting a 4-hole 
chord, then blocks out the middle two holes, then repeatedly lifts 
off and on, creating a pseudo-tremolo effect.

Unfortunately I am nowhere near my CDs so I can't pick out any 
specific examples of any of these by memory.  But Sonny used the 
flutter technique often -- especially on slow blues where he would 
first play long, swooping, mournful phrases for several measures, 
then suddenly throw in a burst of staccato effects: throat-pops, 
tongue flutters, etc, to great effect.  Among many other examples, I 
do recall him doing this repeatedly on recordings he made with 
Lightnin' Hopkins on guitar for Prestige Bluesville in the 60's.

Anyhow, hoping it's helpful...

happy harpin' and cheers,

Tom Ball
Santa Babs

.