Re: [Harp-L] Tongue Blocking the blow bends

[Mudharp@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 1/3/2005 8:13:58 AM Central Standard Time, 
engineering@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<<Is it possible to blow bend the 8, 9, and 10 holes while tongue blocking?>>

The simple answer is yes.

<<With hints from some good players on Harp-L and lot of practice I'm able to 

do the draw bends, even on my G harp.>>

Then you're off to a good start. I'm on the same quest and by following a 
very cool tip that was given to me by a master tongue blocker, I'm getting close. 
I think I can pass this on without breaking the code of omerta. If you can 
consistantly hit the 6 draw TB bend then you are already set up to do TB blow 
bends. Try this excercise: Take a standard C diatonic and hit a 6 draw and bend 
it. The first note will be A, bendable one half step to an Ab. Now take a LOW 
F harp, hit an 8 blow and bend it. It's the very same A and can only be bent 
to the same Ab. On both harmonicas the note is the same A reed. Same note, same 
register and both downbendable only one half step due to the opposing G reed. 
It's important that you use a LOW F or your 8 blow A reed will be tuned an 
octave high, and for this excercise to be effective you don't want that.

OK so now you've got 2 different harps with the same reed, note and bend, 
except the only difference is that one's a 6 draw and one's an 8 blow. You use 
the same mouth feel for both. It's just a simple matter of taking the same 
embouchure, that you use on the C harp to TB bend the 6 draw and use it on the F 
harp 8 blow bend.  Simple in theory anyway. In practice it's something else, but 
that's why they call it practice. Good luck.

T. Albanese 

 

 



In a message dated 1/3/2005 8:13:58 AM Central Standard Time, 
engineering@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

> Is it possible to blow bend the 8, 9, and 10 holes while tongue blocking?
> 
> With hints from some good players on Harp-L and lot of practice I'm able to 
> do the draw bends, even on my G harp.
> 
> Now I've got a riff that uses the 8 blow bend and am switching to pucker to 
> hit it as it uses the tip of my tongue to deflect the airstream.
>