RE: [Harp-L] Tongue Blocking_Volume and Bend Control

[<bb99jh@xxxxxxxxxx>]

One of the exercises that my students do is playing the middle octave /major scale on hole 4-7 puckering and after that tongue-blocked.
All at a very slow speed so that they can feel how to attack /start the note.
 
After that they go to the major scale in holes 1 -4 with 2 bends in it. First pucker than tongueblock.
It usually takes a few weeks before they feel relaxed with both embouchures.
The next to blow bends, draw bends and yes, overblow with tongue-block is not a big issue...
 
I think it's essential that a harpteacher helps a student to hear/feel if he can play a note with as little airpressure as possible, without loosing air etc.
That helps a lot when switching between embouchures.
 
I play 70 to 80 % TB and the last few months I practice overblows with TB...
 
www.beta-harps.com <http://www.beta-harps.com/> 
Ben Bouman

________________________________

From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx on behalf of mark wilson
Sent: Mon 10/29/2007 1:10 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Tongue Blocking_Volume and Bend Control



 >On Oct 28, 2007, at 3:01 PM, Tony Renshaw wrote:
 >
I am a recent convert to tongue blocking.......

Hi Tony,

I've never been a big fan of the cold turkey approach, when it come's 
to switching from lip pursing to TB'ing.
I say, don't toss all the good things you've picked up already as a 
lip purser,  Better yet, keep all that stuff, and
incorporate TB'ing into whatever it is you're already doing.  A good 
way to begin is to start TB'ing the 6 blow
most of the time.  Generally speaking, especially on higher keyed 
harps, the 6 blow sounds better tongue blocked.
Once you get that down, add the 4 and 5 holes, and start blocking 
those.  As far as bends, look at them as a work in
progress, and keep in mind, it may take quite a while until they get 
into the same league as your pursed bends.
I know from experience, it takes a while.

Another option is to be a mixed player.  A great example of a mixed 
player, who fills his stuff with TB effects is Ronnie
Shellist.  He's not a full time TBer, but nobody would ever listen to 
him and say that's he's missing anything in the technique
department.  I've also heard a rumor that Jerry Portnoy has recently 
started pursing the bends on the lower end of the harp, and that
Annie Rains has as well.  Maybe other list members can verify that 
info, as I heard it second hand....


Mark
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