Re: [Harp-L] Tongue blocking and tone

[Daniel Gage <dan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Deb and List,

I use more of the tip of my tongue when going for splits/octaves, and my tongue is a little to the side for regular notes.  The first TB techniques I learned came from Dave Barrett's "Building Harmonica Technique".  He had some great octave exercises.  I tend to think of my tongue feeling for the posts between the holes on the low end.  On the high end, for the big draw octaves, I aim to put my tongue into a hole.  I did a video on octaves/Splits.

Anyway, I will always love this subject.  Why?  Because it's one of subjects where it all comes together and you reach "the next level".  Quote Enter the Dragon: "What is the highest form you wish to attain?"  Bruce answers: "No form"

I only puckered at first, and then I got wrapped up in the "you can't have big tone unless you TB" myth.  At the time, I took it as gospel and forced myself to play totally tongue blocked.  Yes, I TB below hole 3. Well, I lost the ability to play pucker embouchure, so I had to re-dedicate to learning it back.  Why?  Because I wanted the best of both.  

TB gives you great percussive slaps, quick intervals, corner switches (can't do those yet) and great chord/split warbles or whatever they're called.  

Pucker gives me a much easier time shaping notes with syllables, or doing the smooth vibrating-sounding thing that Chris Michalek uses on the high notes.  It also gives you the "rat-a-tat-tat" sounds that come in handy.  Some say that pucker is easier to move faster with.  

So then you get to this point, where you've developed a ton of ability on both techniques.  It all comes together when you realize what's happening on the 1 hole.  Your tongue falls off the end, so are you TB'ing or are you puckering?  Then, you realize that it doesn't matter anymore.  You're doing whichever you want/feel/need at that particular moment.  Your tone is strong because you worked on it, not because of one embouchure or another.  It's your mouth and hands and throat and everything.  They all just end up working together. 

Big tone, or "your tone" or the ability to express yourself is the goal.  Technique is the means to the end.  I say, "If you want them both, learn them both.  If you're happy with one, just play one, but for the love of the instrument, at least do whatever it takes to get those clean, clear single notes.

Dan G.
12gagedan on youtube

--- On Wed, 9/8/10, Deb Wind <debseifriedwind@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> So the tongue IS ON the comb!?  Is it the tip or the
> flat of the tongue? Or
> both??  I learned to play a couple years ago using the
> pucker method, and I
> can play single notes well.  However, I want to be
> able to progress, to be
> able to play chords, and split intervals, and so much more,
> but I can't do
> that with the pucker method (*I* can't, that's not to say
> someone of far
> more skill level CAN...) So I am trying to learn to TB. It
> just seems so...
> "un-natural"....
> 
>