[Harp-L] RE: Deconstructing and Tone difficulties

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

    I thought these two topics went together.  I like tone topics.   
   
  I played 100% pucker for the beginning of my harp life, and mostly in the fast John Popper vein.  
   
  I too took some time off, during which I  spent a year or so trying to tongue block everything.  It was difficult for a while, and yes, I often reverted to pucker, especially when I was onstage or tired.  Like everything, it takes real TIME.  For a while, I played to much T.B. and lost strength in my pucker embroucher.  (sp)   
   
  After re-tackling the pucker, and getting both techniques strong, I now find that it's hard to tell tonally which approach I'm using.  It's like the more overall technique you can develop, the better your tone gets.   
   
  I like having both approaches at the ready.  It's nice to slap hard with TB, but it's also cool to machine gun "ta ta ta" with some pucker.
   
  It takes TIME.  It takes TIME.  It Takes TIME.  
   
  This goes for embroucher as well as Tone.  If you get tired, take a break.  Go back later.  You will get stronger.  If you keep consciously after it, your tone will improve.  I think of myself as fairly advanced as a blues player, and I work on my tone ALL THE TIME.  
   
  Make sure you can hit all the notes you plan to hit.  Make sure every note sounds in your lick.  Make sure you can play every key harp you pull out.  Like it or not, USE it or not, you have to practice the two-hole shake for crying out loud!!
   
  I'm re-doing my website this week.  When it's ready, I'll put it to Harp-L critique.  
   
  Now go practice.
   
  Dan G.
   
   
  Message: 9  {Snipped a bit}       
   Date: Sat, 07 Jan 2006 16:57:51 -0500
   From: mjmeadors@xxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] Deconstructing

  I am in the process, consequently, of learning to play harp all 
over again, but this time with tongue blocking ala Wilson, Piazza, etc.  
Its so very hard to stop falling back into old patterns because the 
muscle memory is still there.  Anybody else ever try just learning an 
entirely new style/technique after years of playing a certain way?  It 
truly feels like I'm just starting over.  Did any of you try to change but 
realize that old habits never go away, or have you made the change and 
never looked back?