RE: [Harp-L] Bending the 6 draw

["MLeFree" <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

michael rubin suggets:
> For many of my beginning students, 6 draw bend is difficult.  I
> recommend you try pointing the tip of your tongue upwards, but do not
> touch the roof of your mouth.  Also, furrow your brow like you are
> angry.  Those tips tend to help beginners with 6 draw bend.  After a
> while, you should be able to do it without those tools.
> Michael Rubin

I'd like to expand just a bit on what Michael suggests here. Pointing the
tongue upwards into the oral cavity ~can~ be a help in hitting some of the
difficult bends, but its verrry easy to fall into a bad habit in doing so.
I'm of the belief that any object in the airstream, including an
upward-pointed tongue, diminishes tone quality. Like most bad habits,
this'ns a lot easer to start than stop...

Ergo, I'd underscore Michael's caveat that after a while you can abandon
this technique. It's just that I'd make it a very ~short~ while.  8^)

YMMV.

Michelle