RE: [Harp-L] learning diaphragm vibrato

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

     Dear Pappy and list,  
     I'm not necessarily a good teacher, but I have developed pretty strong diaphragm vibrato.  I can only offer advice from my own experience.  (harmonica self-taught, + 4 ys. voice lessons with a heavy emphasis on breath control)   
     First off, it takes time and practice.  People are born (and sleep) breathing correctly (from the diapragm, not from the upper chest) but somehow we get re-trained to breathe the wrong way. Take a deep breath and watch your chest puff up.   
      So when someone comes along and says, "breathe from your gut", you think.... "ok, but how?"  Many of our bodies are pretty stubborn and resist breathing "low".    
     Start by having someone hold your upper chest and take a breath.  See if you can breathe without your chest moving at all.  This will get you used to feeling and controlling air from the diaphragm.  Also, put your hand on your abdomen and cough.  You should feel the musles you want to control firing.  
     Once you apply the harmonica, start with long draw notes and try to cut them up without any restriction in your head, neck or chest. It's like coughing, only "in".  Put your hand back on your abdomen and make those muscles go.  Or take off your shirt and just watch. (I wear baggy shirts, so I can't always show people the movement w/o the hand there)  
     One more point I like to raise... The key to the diaphram vibrato is (IMHO) in keeping the air column open.  Many vibrato's sound thin to me, especially on bent notes.  One must consciously consider one's tone while developing this technique.  The mouth should not impede airflow and pinch tone.  Again, it takes practice.  
     Hope this helps.  
     Dan G.  
     www.jdbone.com  
     www.edbluepills.com  
        
     Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:36 pm (PST) pappy wrote:  
     Hey list - I consider myself an intermediat player - have recorded and currently play with a roots blues band. I play mainly pucker embouchure, but am learning tongue-blocking and do some octave playing already. Of the many techniques necessary to become a good diatonic player, I have the most difficulty with diaphram vibrato. I can do all kinds of throat / hand vibrato, but can't seem to get the deep diaphram technique. I know what it is supposed to sound like (from other harp players with good diaphram vibrato technique) and I know the inhaling sound that is supposed to be the approximation of the breathing technique without the harp in your mouth. I just can't seem to get it. Is it possible that some people can't do this for some anatomical reason? How have others gotten over the hump learning vibrato? How can you tell if you're actually doing it but not well enough so as not to practice useless and wrong technique.

Any ideas? thanks list

--
"pappy"
www.sassparillapdx. com