Re: [Harp-L] Re: Standard embouchures... my method of discovery for beginners (kinda long)

[Joseph Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I couldn't have said it better.
smo-joe

On Aug 30, 2014, at 1:32 PM, Warren Bee wrote:

> When I get a raw beginner with no bad habits or clue about single notes
> this is how I like to start.
> 
> Just close your eyes and breathe for a while in and out with no regard for
> any "goal" other than breathing in and out not blowing and sucking. On day
> one I want things to be as meditative as possible. No arrows and numbers on
> paper. No primitive diagrams of "how to get single notes in different
> ways." No explaining how I do it. Close your eyes and listen to how the
> notes blend. Listen to how the more you open and close your "smile" as you
> breath that the less or more holes make "different"music and they blend in
> a little different way. EARS EARS EARS! The most important start to the
> journey. Plenty of time for notetakin' picture lookin' and book learnin'
> later after you pass the "Tone Road Test"
> 
> Then I introduce two terms. Real Estate and Gasket. We look hard at the
> face of the harp and realize just how small the real estate is. How little
> movement and a bit of precision is needed to get the job done. Then we do
> some lip service. Using the mirror and the fingers to explore just how
> amazingly flexible our lips are. Then the tongue same thing. Then we think
> about Gaskets. We will be using our lips and tongue to create leak-proof
> gaskets over single holes so we can take maximum advantage of the real
> estate inside the holes. The more flesh used in the gaskets the better you
> will control the real estate.This is how we will take hold of and control
> of the reeds with our breath.  Again, at this point I still encourage
> closed eyes and experimentation playing with the zillion gasket shapes our
> lips and tongue can make. Main concept is that when you get it right you
> will feel it and hear it at the same time. There are no mistakes to be
> made at this point. The ears hear it all  The good the bad and the ugly.
> 
> Sorry for the wordy clunky explanation but I hope some get my gist.
> Attacking the student from a different angle. Eye closed and mind wide
> open. No matter what the journey on what harp. Real estate and gasket
> related thoughts are critical thinking. In my book anyway.
> 
> wb