Re: [Harp-L] Tongue-locating

[Mike Best <mike.d.best@xxxxxx>]

I know exactly what you mean Robert. I taught myself how to play about 30 years ago with Tony Glovers book as my only guide. I started as a puckerer and I got into the bad habit of using the tip of my tongue to find the hole. it took me years to break that habit and convince myself that I knew where the holes were and could hit them accurately without using my tongue

Tongue blocking is another matter altogether. I'm trying to become more of a tongue blocker but after 30years the pucker habit is proving very hard to break

So yeah, I agree you should ask your students to try and avoid finding the hole with the tip of their tongue coz they'll only have to break the habit later

Cheers
Mike

On 13/10/2012, at 11:57 PM, Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Let me clarify:
> 
> Tongue-locating, with the tip of the tongue in the single hole about to be
> played.
> 
> Robert
> 
> 
> On Sat, Oct 13, 2012 at 12:01 AM, Matthew Smart <matthewsmart@xxxxxxxxx>wrote:
> 
>> I teach them all how to tongue block! Robert was a great teacher to me and
>> is a much more versatile player. However, I found personally, that it was
>> more natural to me to tongue block and also because I all ever wanted to do
>> well was play blues. That is still all I want to do. It took me about 2
>> years to complete the transition to tongue block but I am so glad I did.
>> 
>> Now when i have a student i give them the choice. I play them the opening
>> lick to Little Walters Cant Hold Out Much Longer pucker version and then
>> tongue block with slaps and octaves.
>> 
>> Then I say which one would they like to sound like?
>> 
>> On 10/13/2012 2:29 AM, Robert Hale wrote:
>> 
>>> I discourage students from learning the harp by feeling the intended hole
>>> with the tip of the tongue just before playing
>>> (tongue-locating) because I've seen it make new students forever
>>> over-cautious. They become afraid to play (without it) for fear of making
>>> a
>>> mistake.
>>> 
>>> The ONLY time I might use tongue-locating is in the recording studio when
>>> I
>>> want to insure a clean start on next take.
>>> 
>>> What experience do you, students and teachers, have with this technique?
>>> 
>>> 
>>> Robert Hale
>>> 
>>> Spiral Advocate
>>> 
>>> Learn Harmonica by Webcam
>>> 
>>> Low Rates, High Success
>>> 
>>> http://www.youtube.com/**DUKEofWAIL <http://www.youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL>
>>> 
>>> http://www.dukeofwail.com
>>> 
>>> https://www.facebook.com/**DUKEofWAIL<https://www.facebook.com/DUKEofWAIL>
>>> 
>>> 
>>