From: Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx Subject: [Harp-L] lip fatigue Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 22:55:06 -0500
Lips muscles will fatigue and lips do not build up calluses the way fingers do. So what do you do? First of all build up your daily practice time slowly from one hour to two, to three, four, six. When I was first serious about playing chromatic, I used to practice 12 hours a day. Next, do not take a day off. Even if you fly to a gig, blow for 5 minutes to keep your lips in shape.
Use Vaseline on your lips at night, but never anything in the day or before gigs that can soften your lips. Tongue block or pucker makes no difference, but that said, as you get better you can play with more power and therefore when you practice, you can not play solid power things that bang your lips up. If you can really play with power, leaving the harp for a week and then playing can be devastating.
Let's think of it in terms of sports; if you play tennis really well and can do a power serve or hit the ball really hard, you can't pick up a racket after two months off and practice serves for two hours or hit two handed backhands as hard as possible for an hour. Your arms would be left on the court!
Build up your lips slowly and then you won't need to relax when you play. I run three miles every day and do sit ups and back lifts and some lifting of major muscle groups just to be able to play with power for an entire Harmonica Concerto and not let up and not fatigue. Playing the harmonica hard is hard on your body - your lips, hands, back, neck, stomach, etc. You want to do it with power night after night - stay in shape.
Harmonically yours,
Robert Bonfiglio
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