[Harp-L] The joy of absolute fallacies

["jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx" <jross38@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick Dempster writes:


"Crikey..this is still going on...if it hasn't been said already, they will NEVER be able to [bend] a note with the pharynx open. "

Except this isn't true.  You can bend notes while inhaling or exhaling through your nose.  I had never thought about this at all until someone on harp-l pointed out the prevailing "you can't do X if you don't shut off your nose" with X being bending, good tone or the like.  I then thought about my playing and noticed that I often breath or leak a little air through my nose when playing.  And I can bend just fine with that.  And have decent tone (I'm not Big Walter by any means, but I don't suck either).  

These absolutes are easily dispelled: try bending a note while also inhaling through your nose.  I run out of breath fairly quickly, but I can do it with no perception of a tonal change.  Now, would it be better breath control to learn how to close ones nose off?  Of course.  But there are times when in something akin to the idea behind circular breathing when it becomes useful to leak a little air or take a bit in while playing.  I don't do it consciously, but when I bother to really pay attention to my technique, I find that there seem to be patterns at play in this.

For the student in question.  I would encourage them to keep playing first and foremost.  Try the balloon or other tricks written out here.  But don't even focus on that--just keep playing.  And if they are discouraged because they can't hold a not for long--work on other songs.  Eventually their breath control will improve simply through Kim Wilson's "harp-in-mouth" method.  Annie Raines style minute long draw bends are fun, but there are a lot of other things one can do while developing.

JR Ross