Re: [Harp-L] students & motivation

David Michelsen Tuition <dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx> · Sat, 26 Mar 2011 12:18:47 +0000

Hi

These are also called chromatic split scales, usually they traverse an 
octave, when done say on a flute.

so starting on D in hole 4 on a C harp you would play:
 hole:      4   4               4   1    4   4               4   2
                D, C sharp, D,  D, D, C sharp, D, E
and so on ascending chromatically using the D, C sharp, D, figure 
between each ascending station in the chromatic scale.
While such exercises are good they need to be balanced out by using the 
bends in a musical setting. Played in songs.
All The Best - David
On 26/03/2011 11:37, Elizabeth Hess wrote:

Here are two exercises that I learned from RJ Harman that helped me a 
great deal.
The first is called "bend dropping", and is for accuracy of pitch.  
I'll give the notes as if on a C harp, to sidestep tab issues.
|:  repeat what's between these two symbols  :|

|:  D  C#  D  C  :|    D  C#  D <starting on hole 1>
|:  G  F#  G  F  G  E  G  F  :|  G  F#  G <starting on 2-draw>
|:  B  Bb  B  A  B  Ab  B  G  B  Ab  B  A  :|  B  Bb  B <starting on 
3-draw>
|:  D  C#  D  C  :|    D  C#  D <starting on hole 4>
|:  A  Ab  A  G  :|  A  Ab  A <starting on hole 6>
As beginner students, we work  *so hard* to get those bends, we become 
rather loathe to give up that embouchure once we get it, and the 
unbent notes often come out sounding a bit flat.  This exercise 
teaches the necessary muscle relaxation in parallel with and in 
contrast to the necessary muscle tension.

A second exercise is called "bend swooping", and its objective is to 
develop both embouchure strength and control.
For each hole that has a draw bend, start with the note unbent,  
*slowly and smoothly* bend it down as far as you can, and *slowly and 
smoothly*  bring it back up to unbent, again.  Sometimes there's a 
"dead spot".  (For me it was always at the very highest part of 
3-draw-bend.)  Encourage your students to linger there and explore 
that spot (Effortless Mastery, anyone?), because that's where a good 
part of the work is.   Do NOT worry about pitch accuracy on this one.  
(The pressure's off!)  It's just for building muscle strength and 
control.  The more you do it, the stronger the muscles get, and the 
slower you do it, the more control you have.  The more strength and 
control you have, the better you can bend to pitch when that's the 
objective.
When you master these with the pucker embouchure, try them 
tongue-blocked (or vice versa).

I still return to these exercises from time to time.  Sometimes to 
check myself, and sometimes to put a new harp through it's paces and 
get to know its idiosyncrasies.
Elizabeth (aka "Tin Lizzie")

On Mar 25, 2011, at 8:23 PM, David Michelsen Tuition wrote:
From: David Michelsen Tuition <dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thu, Mar 24, 2011 9:39 am
Subject: [Harp-L] students & motivation

  Would those of you who teach like to share what strategies you use to
help students keep motivated in the often dispiriting period when they
learn to bend notes. Also how to keep up the motivation in that time
when they are learning to keep the three  bends on three & the two bends
on draw two play in tune.
I recommend to all my students that they use a chromatic tuner to help
them to tune their ears & bends in. David

--
D Priestley AKA Dr Midnight.
England's first  harmonica Guru.

I hope this info helps, do feel free to phone.
Harmonica lessons are currently £25.00 per hour, discounts for bulk booking are available (bulk = 10 for a 20% discount, making study £20.00 a session&  20 lessons for a 25% discount = £18.75  a session).
  I Teach from 10 till 20:00 all the days of the week. I teach from:
51 Barkston Gdns, the basement flat, closest Tube Earls Court.
Call me  on 0207 373 0295 to book lessons or get more info.

E-mail-dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.cognitionarts.com/
Phone: 0207 373 0295