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

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

Bjorn,

	For what it's worth, i almost never use my tongue to articulate  
notes either when lip pursing or tongue blocking. (I'm a mixed  
embouchure player, and not a full time tongue blocker, although I do  
use tongue blocking at least part of the time while i am performing.)  
I control the articulation  with my diaphragm---starting and stopping  
breathing as you put it--but all air production as well as the starts  
and stops come from the diaphragm deep in the torso.  Once a player  
gets used to doing this, it's much easier to play really fast if so  
inclined.  Articulation of 16th and 32d notes can be accomplished  
much faster and more precisely articulating with the diaphragm rather  
than the tongue.  Also, for a mixed embouchure player it creates a  
smoother transition--articulation sounds much the same whether tongue  
blocking or lip pursing and the player can move from one to the other  
more or less seamlessly.

	CAVEAT:  i think i am creating articulation with my diaphragm, but,  
after reading Winslow's post, it occurs to me that I may also be  
using what he calls a "glottal stop"  in my throat.  He certainly  
knows more about the physiology of this stuff than i do.  But,  
anyway, whether it's the throat, diaphragm or both that are being  
used, starting and stopping airflow is, IMHO, a better, smoother and  
unquestionably faster method for articulating separation between  
notes, whether lip pursing or tongue blocking.  Sometimes, if I'm  
playing along with a horn section I'll use the tongue for  
articulation since it seems to fit better for certain ensemble horn  
parts, and on some passages i may use the "rolling the R's" tongue  
articulation technique depending on the material, the nature of the  
breath shifts required to play the part, and the instrumentation of  
the band I'm playing with.  But, the overwhelming majority of the  
time, I do not use my tongue to articulate separation between notes.   
Not using the tongue and articulating notes by starting and stopping  
airflow allows me to play solo lines at the same speed as a sax,  
which i could never do if i were articulating with my tongue. The  
tongue, lips and mouth are NOT used to start and stop airflow in the  
technique i am trying to describe. Hope this makes sense.
	
	JP



Bjorn wrote, in part:

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?