[Harp-L] Re: Winslow spills the beans (was Loud (chromatics))

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

Winslow, in responding to the thread "Loud-(Chromatics)" gave a wonderful description of how one gets full tone on a harmonica. 

Good work, Professor!  

-Dave

From: Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Loud (Chromatics)
Date: Sat, 25 Aug 2007 16:34:20 -0700 (PDT)
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx

 
--- Jonathan Metts  wrote:


> I think it has a lot to do with your own tone 

I agree with this

> (which seems to be produced differently than on diatonic harps).  

But I disagree with this, even though Fernando also made this
statement.

Fundamentally good harmonica is produced the same on chromatic and
diatonic. 

Remember when you first learned to bend a note? It probably seemed like
every note on every harp took a different technique to bend, even the
same hole on two different keys of harp.

But after awhile, as your technique solidified, the differences started
to melt away and the similarities took over. Sure, maybe Hole 10 blow
bende on a high F harp is still different from Hole 1 draw bend on a
Low C, but extremes aside, bends are pretty much bends.

The same goes for tone, if your fundamentals are solid.

1) Breathe from your belly. When that little tiny reed chops the
airstream at the slot in the reedplate, the wave it creates can travel
through the entire length (about 2 feet) and volume (about a gallon) of
your internal air column. Your body amplifies that wave to produce far
more than that little reed by itself can produce.

Puff up your chest and let the ribcage and shoulders ride high. All the
motion when you breathe should come from below the ribcage. Opening up
the chest helps the air column.

Open your throat - try yawning to get an idea just how much the throat
can open up.

Open your mouth as far as possible while still getting a single note.

Try playing a chord - Holes 1,2,3 together on a chromatic (or 1,2,3,4
on a diatonic). Inhale for four seconds (four clicks of a metronome at
60), then exhale for four seconds. Breathe gently and evenly, and let
the sound float out of the reeds - no push, pull or any resistance.

The breathing should start gently, stay at the same level, and end at
the same level before reversing direction.

Once you get the breathing going at a regular rate and even flow, just
listen to the sound you're making for awhile.

Now, without any effort, allow the sound to get bigger. Allow it to
travel down into your chest and abdomen on the air column. That air
column is like the hollow body of an acoustic guitar.

Once the tone gets big, try using your throat to pulse the sound, both
to start each note with a gentle cough and to modulate the tone into a
wave instead of a flat line.

As your sound gets larger, try moving to single notes. Once you enlarge
your sound playing with no resistance, pressure, or suction, it's OK to
introduce a small amount of back pressure when you blow and suction
when you draw. Do this carefully and notice what it does for your
control of the note. Avoid doing this until you can make a big sound
without any feeling of resistance from the reeds.

This basic regimen, with appropriate adaptations (such as not trying
chords on a bass harmonica) works for any kind of harmonica.

Winslow

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