Re: [Harp-L] Tongue blocking and tone

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Phil, what is a misnomer about it?  The tongue blocks the holes you do
not want to play.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com

On Wed, Sep 8, 2010 at 11:13 AM, Jerry Deall <jdeall@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> In my case I'm sure it's the hollow head.........
>
> Thanks Jerry,
> http://www.thebluesambassadors.com/
> http://www.myspace.com/bluesambasador
> http://www.facebook.com/bluesambassadors#!/pages/The-Blues-Ambassadors/189384179665?ref=ts
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Philharpn@xxxxxxx
> To: jdekker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 10:07:48 AM
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Tongue blocking and tone
>
> Tone is one of those elusive qualities like comb materials. What produces
> the best tone? U-block, tongue block or pucker embouchure?
>
> As to the degrees of difficulty, I don't know that anyone has ever done a
> comparative test to determine whether tongue blocking or lip pursing is more
> difficult to master. Partly this is due to the fact that tongue block is a
> misnomer.
>
> With tongue block the key ingredient is getting the tongue out of the way,
> off to the side, to allow a small hole in the left or right corner of the
> mouth. It is not a precise movement. It's the side of the tongue that blocks
> the comb. Concentrating on getting that little hole in the corner of the
> mouth is the important thing. The tongue is just casually resting on the comb.
>
> But keep in mind, tongue blocking was the original received way to play the
> Richter tuned harmonica and for many years -- 50, 75, 100? -- most
> harmonicas contained a small piece of paper explaining how to execute tongue
> blocking.
>
> That piece of paper is still available in the Hohner BluesBand harmonica**
> -- the one that comes in a cardboard box and is sold at Cracker Barrel for
> about $5.95 next to the cash register.
>
> It might be comforting to know that over the years only a few million
> people learned to tongue block the harmonica.
>
> **Other brands also include embouchure directions along with their
> harmonicas today.
>
> Hope this helps.
> Phil
>
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>
> In a message dated 9/7/10 6:23:41 PM, jdekker@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>
>> As a beginner, I pucker for everything, and find tongue blocking to be
>> very difficult. Is it true that the great Chicago blues tone can only come
>> from tongue blocking? I think I read that Little Walter and others tongue
>> blocked most of the time. Is anyone getting "that" tone while puckering?
>>
>