Re: [Harp-L] Holding the XB-40

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

Andy - 

HOlding the XB-40 for airtight cupping can benefit from one simple modification to the standard harmonica grip. 

Now I don't know what they show on harmonicalessons.com, and not everyeone uses the same grip, but when you use the classic sandwich grip, you hold the harp in your left hand, with your index finger on the top cover and your thumb on the bottom cover. Without the harp, the thumb and index finger are paralell to each other, leaving a sort of slot for the harmonica. 

When you hold a small harmonica, like a standard ten-hole, you can press the left end of the harmonica into the webbing (loose skin) between the thumb and forefinger, and most of the length of the harmonica will fit under your index finger.

However, with larger harmonicas (XB-40, tremolos, chromatics), the harmonica is too long to be cupped entirely. However, there are ttwo things you can do to achieve a tight cup.

1) Instead of pressing the left end of the harmonica into the joint between thumb and forefinger, angle the harmonica slightly so that the left edge of the harp pokes outward (toward you) and rests on top of the joint instead of in it. This allows you to get more of a slightly larger harp (like the XB-40) inside the hand cup, and also lets you place you hand cup anywhere along the length of the harp if the harp is too long to completely cup (tremolo, 12-hole and 16-hole chromatics).

2) Make sure to create and complete seal between right and left hands.

Look at your left thumb and little finger. You can trace a U-shaped line from the tip of your thumb through the ball of the thumb and heel of the hand all the way around to the tip of your little finger. Think of that as a slingle curved edge (try this without a harmonica so that you can see everything).

Now, place the palm of your right hand against this U-shaped edge. Rotate the right hand so that the thumbs are together and the left-handy pinky finger rests in the crease formed by the bottoms of the right hand fingers. You can fold the right-hand fingers down over the left hand if you want.

At this point, you should have a cup that is airtight except for the "harmonica slot" between the left-hand thumb and forefinger.

If you place a harmonica in the slot with the left end poking out, you'll now have an airtight cup.

Winslow



You use these fingers to hold the harmonica, then you wrap the left

--- On Mon, 8/4/08, Anders Nygaard <anynyg@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
From: Anders Nygaard <anynyg@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Holding the XB-40
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Date: Monday, August 4, 2008, 2:47 AM

Hi all, I find it very difficult to hold the XB-40 correctly, to create the
airtight cup behind it. Works great for my smaller 10-holes, but on the
XB-40 the sound is not good and the hand effects are weak. I believe my
hands are normal size. Can anyone here help. I have only been playing for a
six months, using the instructions on harmonicalessons.com, so it may be a
simple solution that I overlooked. I normally play the Hohner Golden Melody,
but find it easier to practise lip blocking on the XB-40.

P.S. I bought the XB-40 before I really knew anything about harps, but it is
great for training and confidence. When I am getting tired of failing bends
on the Hohner, I switch to the XB and everything works. Nice.

Smile

/Andy
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