Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Standard embouchures

[The Iceman <icemanle@xxxxxxx>]

If one believes that bending is controlled by the tongue, it is much easier to quantify where to position the tongue for each individual bend. Also, in my many years developing teaching techniques and minimizing muscle movement for maximum results, I teach tongue awareness/position/control to rank beginning students and they all have learned to bend all notes to correct pitch within about 2 to 4 weeks - much to the unhappiness of all those that claim "It takes years to control the bends".


There has been a similar thread on Modern Blues Harmonica recently where some insist that the bends come from the throat. My conclusion is that they are focusing on the throat, but the tongue still moves into correct position to achieve the bends. It is one step removed from the simplest concept, but still achieves results, although they have trouble teaching bending to others with this orientation. Others mistake the throat for what is actually the tongue, as the tongue does reach very far down into the throat.



-----Original Message-----
From: Harmonicology [Neil Ashby] <harmonicology@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sat, Aug 30, 2014 12:04 pm
Subject: Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Standard embouchures


[Citation added to definition]

I have watched Steve's Tutorial on bending at " https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPpp5UFP4Ww 
" and his instructions refer to "this is done with the back part of the mouth" 
(video at "4:47") and elsewhere to the "soft-palatte" which is at the back of 
the oral cavity [mouth].

Steve mentions having the throat "open" but _each_ of his instructions for 
bending pertains to the tongue and the jaw and the soft-palatte ["the fold at 
the back of the hard palate that partially separates the mouth from the pharynx" 
(merriam-webster_com)].

I believe that his reference to "throat" was medically wrong as he was actually 
pointing on the video to the back of the oral cavity which is above the throat.

/Neil