[Harp-L] Re: TB Alternatives?

[Rick In Davis <rickindavis@xxxxxxxxx>]

Don Whitener <whitener@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:  In another topic, Rick in Davis commented:

> Tongue blocking affords a percussive quality, with slaps and
> pull-offs and such, but that has nothing to do with tone, and it
> can be emulated with other techniques.

I, as probably most people, use TB to achieve these percussive 
qualities. However, my favorite harps have a relatively rough comb, 
and often leave me with an irritated tongue. I would be most 
interested in learning some alternative techniques. 


  
On page 45 of his book 'Sourcebook of Little Walter/Big Walter Licks for Blues Harmonica,' Tom Ball discusses this in detail.  "Splits are the one and only TB technique that cannot be 'faked' by a puck-style player."
   
  Ball says lip-blocking can accomplish the same sounds so well that he cannot tell the difference when good players switch from one embouchure to the other.  He names Dave Barrett and Mark Hummel as good examples.  Ball also devotes a couple of paragraphs to the tongue injuries some players get from using TB on a wood-combed harp.  (BTW, I just checked and the book is available from Amazon.com.)  
   
  My point here is not to denigrate the TB style.  I appreciate the TB method, but I stongly object to the notion that I cannot get good tone from a harp without using the TB embouchure all the time.       
   
   
   

 		
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