[Harp-L] Re: Mic Holding

[Steve Baker <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One point which appears to have been overlooked up to now in this  
discussion is that the choice of embouchure is absolutely decisive in  
getting a full enclosure against your cheek. This can only really  
work when playing with a tongue block, because if you hold and block  
left, the harp is automatically angled to the right and can therefore  
be laid against your right cheek with ease without breaking the seal  
with the lips. If you pucker you can't do it, because the central lip  
opening means the harp is then no longer angled left or right, thus  
creating an air gap on both sides instead of only on one side. You  
can't seal both sides at once and it's much harder to lay the upper  
holes against your cheek, so it's physically almost impossible to  
create the full enclosure necessary for powerful hand effects playing  
that way. I would like to join Larry in thanking Joe Filisko for  
bringing this aspect of traditional harmonica styles to my attention,

Steve
www.stevebaker.de
www.bluesculture.com
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