Re: [Harp-L] tongue blocking

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Larry Marks writes:
> Don't get too serious about leakage. While I usually play clean single 
> notes, I find that a little "leakage" can be very desirable. For 
> example, when playing a 3 draw, a little bit of the 4 draw produces a 
> really neat sounding effect. You may also find that slapping your 
> tongue up against the mouthboard to get a single note after a brief 
> full chord can produce a very pleasing effect. By all means, learn how 
> to produce a clean single note, but don't forget the value of some 
> occasional slop.

I couldn't agree more, Larry. I say slop it up!

Phil Wiggins calls it "dirtying it up a little." A lot of music is not 
especially "sanitary." That's especially true of Blues. I think leakage 
adds a certain tension that can be used to great emotional effect when 
resolved to a single note (or vice-versa).

BTW, one needn't restrict their "leakage" technique to tongue blocking. 
I like to do it when I'm lip pursing too. Tom Ball is one great player 
who uses the method to simulate tongue blocking effects while using the 
pucker embouchure. As he points out in his books, you can bleed air from 
one hole to the left or right sides or both. You can do it percussively 
too, making it sound like a tongue slap or pull-off.

Thanks for mentioning it, Larry.

Michelle