[Harp-L] questions about high keyed harps

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

DAVE,
	I don't think I agree with you on this:

if you pick up a harp upside down and don't realize it, and hit a  
note, the reed usually won't play, that's because the embouchure for  
each reed is slightly different from one hole to the next, WAY  
different for a 1 blow and a 10 draw.. After you've been playing for  
a while, you don't even think about it, you just do it.
	
	I use the same lip purse embouchure for all single note playing with  
the harp deep in my mouth and i get consistently good tone and  
articulation on the high end and the low end whether the harp is  
upside down or not and regardless of the key of the harp (although  
the breath attack, NOT the embouchure, must be varied depending upon  
the key and particular note/hole being played).  BUT, before I began  
to play with the harp deep in my mouth I would adjust my lip position  
for the high notes as you describe... but my tone was not as good.   
If a lip purse player can get the front of the harp in against the  
corners of the mouth, tilt the holes down slightly, drop the lower  
jaw and keep it relaxed, and produce air from the diaphragm, ALL  
notes will be easier to play, tone will be consistently deeper and  
fatter and you won't have to adjust lip position. It also helps to  
make as large an opening with the lips as physically possible which  
requires that the inside of the mouth adjacent to the edge of the  
lips grip the harmonica with the lips being actually not in contact  
with the harmonica except at the corners of the mouth--this has  
sometimes been referred to as "fish mouth". Btw, I've watched some  
YouTube videos of very very proficient players some of whom have  
relatively weak or deficient tone.  Even if one plays really well, a  
deep embouchure for a lip purse player combined with breath  
production from the diaphragm will greatly improve tone and ability  
to play all notes/holes consistently and, if desired, much faster.  
That being said, it is sometimes necessary to open the gap on the  
reeds slightly if the harp is really tight.
	JP