Re: [Harp-L] How to repeat tones while toungblocking?

[Winslow Yerxa <winslowyerxa@xxxxxxxxx>]

To articulate single notes with your tongue on the harp, try the tongued "p".

To get the feeling of doing this without a harmonica, try placing the tip of your tongue between your lips. Leave an opening between the right edge of your tongue and the right corner of your mouth (corner is where the upper and lower lips meet).

This is very similar to a tongue blocked embouchure.

Now, while keeping your tongue between your lips, try saying the syllable "PAH".

You do this by exhaling and closing the passage between the right edge of your tongue and the right corner of your mouth, then opening it. When you open the passage, you hear the "PAH" sound.

The easiest way to close off the opening is to let the corner of the lips do the work, keeping your tongue immobile.

Once you get the hang of doing it without a harp, try it with a harmonica, both inhaling and exhaling.

There are other ways to articulate notes with a tongue block (such as a glottal stop), but the tongue is nearest to the front of your mouth and gives the most clearly defined articulations.

Winslow

Winslow Yerxa
Author, Harmonica For Dummies ISBN 978-0-470-33729-5


--- On Tue, 10/21/08, Björn Sigurdsson <bjosi436@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> From: Björn Sigurdsson <bjosi436@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: [Harp-L] How to repeat tones while toungblocking?
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Date: Tuesday, October 21, 2008, 3:02 AM
> Hello,
> 
> It's funny, whatever hobby your pick up the same names
> turns out
> everywhere - so for harmonica-playing. So in an way I start
> to know
> you guys now... Well... I hope you can give me some input.
> 
> I play strictly toung-blocking. I know that when you repeat
> notes with
> the pucker/vertical slot method you are recommended to
> block the
> airflow with the tip of the tounge to get well articulated
> notes.
> But how do you do while toungblocking? When I play repeated
> notes,
> especially some draw notes I sometimes get a weak
> introduction to the
> second note and not a distinct space between the notes. I
> tried to
> block the airflow by slide (with the tip of the tounge) to
> the right
> and forward and block all holes and then back, I find it
> hard to do
> with speed. I also tried to block the airflow by pushing
> the base of
> the tounge up (as if you say the sound of the letter K). I
> works
> excellent, but change the timbre of the tone. A nice effect
> maybe, but
> unwanted.
> 
> So I guess it is just to practice to stop inhaling and
> start inhaling
> again in a distinct maner, to be honest, I find this
> working better
> and better. But I'm still curios on the subject. So:
> How do you do it?
> 
> 
> Thanks for your input
> 
> Björn Sigurdsson
> Kompanigatan 20
> 58758 Linköping
> +46 706 897257
> 
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