[Harp-L] High Notes, a method to getting better

[michael rubin <michaelrubinharmonica@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Harp-l,
An member sent me an offlist email requesting information as to how to
improve high note blow bends enough to play Magic DIck's Whammer
Jammer lick.  He asked if it was a blow bend or an overblow.  After
writing it, I figured I might as well share it:

To begin with, it is a blow bend.  Hole 10 blow can be bent down 2
keyboard notes, or one whole step.  Can you blow bend at all?  The
simplest blow bend for most people is hole 8 blow bend on a standard G
harp or 8 blow bend on any low octave tuned harp.  Basically, the
lower the pitch of the harp, the lower 8 blow is, the bigger the reed,
the easier to manipulate.

Here are my suggestions for high note blow bends:

A very small mouth opening, like a canary kiss.
Pressure on your upper lip, either in the center of the lip or as if
your lip had vampire teeth.
Keep your cheeks stiff, do not puff out your cheeks.
Aim your air to the floor of the mouth as if you were a flute player
or as if you had a drinking straw pointing straight down to the
ground.
Either:
1. Put the tip of your tongue on your back bottom teeth.  If you teeth
were ten feet tall, put the tip nine feet up.  Then as you bend push
your tongue forward against the teeth.  The top[ front of your tongue
can hang over the front of the teeth.

Or:
Put the tip of the tongue on the harmonica's bottom cover plate.  As
you bend, push the tongue forward so that the bottom half of the hole
is blocked by your tongue.

I suggest the second way, especially for hole number ten.

Start by getting a keyboard so you can hear the notes.  Figure out the
names of the notes in the holes and in the bends.  I can help you
privately.  Start on your lowest harp on 8 blow.  Play the keyboard
note, first the note in 8 blow, then in 8 blow bend.  Listen to it.
Sing it along with the keyboard.  Sing it without the keyboard into
the tuner to make sure you are singing on pitch.  Then play 8 blow
followed by 8 bend into the tuner.  Hold 8 bend for a minute.  Repeat
on 9 and 10 with the 10 double bend.

Use the keyboard to listen and sing the notes before every exercise mentioned.

When you can do that, repeat with a tongue articulation at the
beginning of each note.  It is still possible to tongue articulate
even if the tongue is on the harp.  USe the top middle of your tongue
for the T sound.

When you can do that, begin on the bent sound and release it.  Then do
that with tongue articulation.

Then play 10 blow, 10 double bend, 10 single bend, 10 blow.

Then play 10 blow, 10 single bend, 10 double bend, 10 single bend, 10 blow.

Then play 9 blow, 10 blow, 9 blow,l 10 single bend, 9 blow, 10 double
bend, 9 blow, 10 single bend, 9 blow, 10 blow.

Repeat the above three exercises with tongue articulations.

Repeat all of the above on an Ab harp, then an A harp, then a Bb harp
etc until you can do this on your highest harp.

Magic Dick plays 9 bend, 9 blow, 10 blow, 10 double bend.

Hope this helps.  Private lessons available by skype and phone, as of
today only $45 per hour.  Available Monday through Friday.
Michael Rubin
Michaelrubinharmonica.com