[Harp-L] Re: Trill Truth Revealed

[Bill Rossoll <billrossoll@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wolf
I think some of the confusion about this comes from inconsistency in 
terminology. What is being demonstrated in the video is what I call 
tongue slap and flutter.This is a tongue block technique. You didn't 
mention what blocking method you use. If you are a lip purser or 
U-blocker, you must switch to tongue block (at least for the flutter 
itself). You can still do a pseudo slap with U-block. It doesn't sound 
as full but if you do it quickly enough the dissonant notes won't be as 
noticeable.This is what I have always called compression.

Here's the difference between flutter and trill. With a flutter, you are 
alternately including and excluding notes from a chord. They fit 
together musically. With a trill, you are alternating between two 
adjacent notes.They don't fit together musically and that is what gives 
them that cool tense sound.It's kind of a rapid modulation.If you can 
keep the bottom note active throughout the trill and only modulate the 
higher one, it will sound really full.

The only three methods I know of to produce a trill are:
1. Side to side head shake.
(LW did not seem too keen on this one.)
2. Shake the harp itself from side to side.
(This is seen in the aforementioned video at about the 6:50 mark or so.)
3. Move the tongue sideways, back and forth, between alternating holes.
(Always start with the lower of the two.)
They all have merit. Go with the one that works best for you and make it 
part of your own "voice".

Hope that helps.