[Harp-L] Re: 2 Questions from newbie ~ embouchre Follow Up

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

Jeff,

	Something not mentioned in the explanation on Harpgear site is the  
importance of making as large an aperture (air hole) in your mouth as  
possible.  The opening should be MUCH LARGER than if you were sipping  
through a straw.  So, the idea is not just to get the harmonica deep  
in your mouth with a relaxed oral cavity/resonance chamber BUT ALSO  
to make as LARGE an opening for an air/breath column as possible,  
consistent with still being able to get a single note.  You want as  
large a breath hole as you can get, which requires the "fish mouth"  
position of the lips,.

	Btw, some say tongue blockers get superior tone.  It's true that  
tongue blocking will allow the comb to get deeper in the mouth past  
the teeth which can fatten and deepen tone.  But, other than that,  
IMHO, the reason for the alleged tonal advantages created by tongue  
blocking is because, by its nature, the tongue blocking technique  
FORCES the player to do the equivalent of all those things one needs  
do to create good lip purse embouchure.

	Hope this helps.

	JP