[Harp-L] scary fast playing

[Steve Merola <stevemerola@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Harp-l
Toots Thielmans uses this technique. I heard him talk about it at a jazz
seminar offered by NYU in NYC several years ago. It works best if you pucker
but can also be achieved with TB. It works on both diatonic and chromatic.
Steve Merola

Message: 12
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2009 09:33:28 -0800 (PST)
From: Daniel Velton <dvelton@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] scary fast playing
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <395959.30349.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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I was experimenting with different ways for playing fast and stumbled on
this technique accidentally. It worked especially well on the higher keys,
and I'm wondering if anyone has tried this technique and/or mastered it...I
haven't had much in the way of professional instruction but I was wondering
if this is a known technique. Here's what you do:

Instead of moving air with your lungs and diaphragm, use only the small
amount of air in your cheeks. Force the air in and out with the cheek and
mouth muscles. There won't be as much air as when you're playing normally,
but it is sufficient to vibrate the reeds. Doing runs up and down is scarily
fast using this "cheek" method (faster than my brain, at least, can process
and play accurately). It seems almost like this technique allows you to
change wind direction from draw to blow and vice versa about 10 times faster
than normally.