Re: [Harp-L] Puckering [(An aside: U-Blocking is a rather limiting technique(?)]

[Cara Cooke <cyberharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

Perhaps it is more accurate to say that some people have a genetic
predisposition that prevents them from getting much use out of the
U-block.  Having had several students who really did not seem to manage
enough from their tongue to get the U-block to work for them, including one
whose tongue most curiously forked when he tried to curl it, I can say that
some people are predisposed for that embouchure to be difficult, if not
impossible for them.  I can also say that the "pucker" has to be severely
modified in my case, since my lips do not seem to work well in that
embouchure.  So far, I can teach it to others, but I cannot play well with
it -- not like I can with tongue blocking and the U-block.  I continue to
try to work with it, though.  Perhaps I will get that embouchure to work
better for me.

You are correct, though, that you do not have to completely curl your
tongue, but can operate fine with a gentle curvature that allows you
control of which hole(s) you wish.  It has advantages and disadvantages,
but, then, all of them do.  I encourage all students to work with each and
try to learn to control each, because the different embouchures can
complement each other if you learn to use them interchangeably.  (I do
think that the forked tongue fellow may have an interesting advantage and
disadvantage given his tongue's tendencies.  I would like to see him years
from now after he has it all under control, if he is still playing, and see
what he can do.)

Cara

On Tue, Aug 14, 2012 at 9:11 AM, Robert Coble <robertpcoble@xxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:

>
> For puckering, open your mouth and insert the harp, letting your lips
> slide out on to the harp
> covers as far as they will go without forcing them. Gently "squeeze" the
> lips together (but
> still out as far as you can leave them on the covers) until you can play a
> single note. Once
> you can play a single note, begin working on your speed. Play exercises
> such as scales up
> and down the harp, holding the pucker embouchure. A good exercise for
> speed purposes is
> to play the tonic note and then alternate the tonic note with every other
> note in the scale. That
> will increase your ability to find every note. It probably won't take you
> long to get the hang of it.
>
> An aside: no offense to anyone intended, BUT...
>
>
> I wonder if U-blocking was the reason Norton Buffalo was NOT able to play
> that cool set of licks
> on "Runaway". Oh, he DID play it AND he was a U-blocker! I'd certainly
> consider THAT song a success!
>
> I use U-blocking and have had some "success" using it. I play chords (that
> would be a triple stop),
> vamp, and tongue switch when needed. For the purpose of full disclosure, I
> also play Circular
> Tuned harps exclusively. If I chose to do so, I could also play using a
> pucker or using tongue blocking.
>
> The problem is that there is considerable misinformation about U-blocking
> that gets repeated
> uncritically. The first and foremost WRONG information is that you have to
> have a genetic
> predisposition (or is that predispensation?) to curl or roll the tip of
> the tongue into a tight little
> circle that wraps around a single hole. That is NOT required because
> U-blocking doesn't require
> it. (In the same way that puckering does NOT require you to make fish lips
> and pooch out your
> "pucker" until you just touch the harp, kind of like kissing your great
> Aunt Matilda.) You actually
> put the front part of the tongue UNDER the front edge of the harp. The "U"
> is formed by the two
> outside edges of the tongue; the air travels down the center of the
> tongue, in a natural "groove".
> If you want to experience that for yourself, say the word "H-A-A-A-H"
> while pressing the outside
> edges of your tongue up against your upper teeth (or dental plate), with
> the end of the tongue
> down (as it would be under the harp). You can then put the harp in your
> mouth as deeply as you
> want and get really good sound. Let the end of the tongue slip UNDER the
> harp as you place it into
> your mouth. The center part of the tongue has a "U" channel or natural
> "groove" that let's you
> "groove" on harp!
>
> Regards,
> Crazy (about U-blocking and Circular Tuned harps) Bob
>
>
>