RE: [Harp-L] corner switching question

["MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

When JP asked about a corner-switching, the iceman suggested (in part):

> ... Biggest obstacle to overcome was to learn to relax in the midst
> of the frustration. Letting go of all muscle tension not
> essentially needed to create the result you want will remove the
> air leakage...

There is an online guitar instructor by the name of Jamie Andreas who
~preaches~ relaxation to his students. He says muscular tension is the
principle enemy of good tone and the fluidity of playing for any serious
musician. That is as true for the harmonica as it is for any other musical
instrument. Andreas has a "procedure" that he calls "posing" that he teaches
to help his students learn to isolate and correct sources of muscular
tension as they play.

Basically posing is initiated by "freezing" right where you are at a random
point during a serious practice exercise. Once you have frozen your body
mid-note you use various methods (depending on what suits you best) to
mentally isolate and then correct the various points of muscular tension you
are experiencing at that moment. I find my (dated) experience at a
Transcendental Meditation helpful in moving my concentration from head to
toe, finding tense muscles and concentrating on relaxing them. "Posing" has
helped me to become a better musician. With a little practice you can learn
to recognize and correct tension in individual muscle groups as you play
(which is, by the bye, a handy technique to apply in daily life, especially
these days...)

Anyway, The Iceman is right again. Muscular tension can be a genuine
impediment in the growth of any musician.

Michelle