[Harp-L] Problems with tongue articulation

[Eliza Doolittle <eliza.doolittle@xxxxxxxx>]

I'm having some trouble learning to articulate notes correctly with my tongue. However, that's how I first started to play melodies with the harp (I'm only using the pucker embouchure so far). To me, saying 'ta-ta-ta-ta' seemed the most natural way to play a melody with notes with a definite beginning. This seemed to be all right, until I tried to play melodies in the high register. When I did so, they sounded terribly out of tune. After fiddling about for some time, I somehow -without being very conscious of how I did it- managed to get the notes in tune.

Now that I've learnt a little more, I suspect that what I was doing was bending the notes down; not so much as to produce the right bent notes, but enough to bring the blown notes out of tune. For some reason, I don't notice it in the middle and low octaves.

I have also realised that when I play these notes in tune it is not because I have solved the problem, but because I am using my diaphragm, not my tongue, to start  the notes. Therefore, I begin by using my diaphragm, take mental notes of how my mouth and lips are placed, and try to maintain that position, but at the moment I start ta-ta-ing, it's all over.

I think that being conscious of the problem is part of the solution, but I don't seem to be able to get the other part. Since bending is achieved by raising the middle or back of one's tongue upwards, I try to concentrate on maintaining it flat. But it doesn't work. I've also noticed that when I play using my diaphragm, my cheeks move outwards and inwards, whereas they remain still when I try to use my tongue (I don't know whether this is relevant or not, but I thought mentioning it might help).

Have you found this problem before, in yourselves or in a student? Can you give me any idea on how to get it sorted out? Thanks a lot in advance.

Eliza Doolittle