Re: [Harp-L] Pucker and TB

[Rick Dempster <rickdempster33@xxxxxxxxx>]

I think
of the tongue block as "key board" and the "pucker" as "horn". in terms of
both
effective technique, and tone.
RD



On 14 June 2015 at 22:29, Mike Wilbur <mike@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> That was a great explanation Phil
>
> Mike Wilbur
>
>
> > On Jun 13, 2015, at 11:58 PM, philharpn@xxxxxxx wrote:
> >
> > The main advantage of using the tongue block method is that it
> facilitates the tongue-slap. The tongue-slap is a grace-note chord played
> before the single note on the right corner of the mouth. This technique
> causes the melody note to ring out -- because it is the highest pitched
> note of all the notes (the crunch of the grace-note chord) and the single
> note at the far right.  This means blow holes 1 2 3 are hit first as a
> grace note chord and shut off as soon as they are sounded followed by hole
> 4. To get a sense of this technique, simply play the  C scale starting on
> holes 4 - 7 and slapping the three-note chord (to the left) after every
> note -- blow or draw -- in the scale, ascending and descending.
> >
> > The fake slap uses the pucker shape over three holes. It switches the
> widened pucker for a chord alternating with narrow pucker for center note.
> If the melody note is blow hole 4, the mouth is widened to play holes 3 and
> 5.
> >
> > The main difference between these two slaps is that with the tongue
> slap  the highest pitched note (and loudest or most prominent) is the note
> at the far right. With the pucker method the highest pitched note is NOT
> the melody note; the melody note is the CENTER and tends to get overwhelmed
> by the notes on either side of it.
> >
> > One advantage of the pucker slap is that it allows a slap when playing
> hole 2 -- because there is hole 1 to the left and hole 3 to the right to
> provide a chord slap.
> >
> > This is not as effective playing hole 2 with the tongue block because
> only the 1 hole is available to the left of hole 2 and NOTHING is available
> to the right of hole 2.
> >
> > The work-around for this lack of notes to the left of hole 4 is double
> Richter layout like Hohner's Steve Baker Special tuning which duplicates
> the first  three holes that bend so there is a low octave and regular
> octave of draw bending notes. This extra low octave adds a bit of spice to
> the sound, kind of like SB II.
> >
> > Seydel offers this tuning as well  and  a Sololist Pro 12 Steel Four
> TImes Richter where for sets of holes like 1 2 3 Richter.
> >
> >
> > PS: The harmonica must be played right side up, low notes to left (NOT
> upside down) or all bets are off.
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Phil
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: MundHarp <MundHarp@xxxxxxx>
> > To: tnysteph <tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > Sent: Sat, Jun 13, 2015 6:33 am
> > Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Pucker and TB
> >
> > Learn BOTH and interchange them... I do!
> > John "Whiteboy" Walden
> > Just now
> > In bonnie Scotland.
> >
> >
> > In a message dated 13/06/2015 02:20:30 GMT Daylight Time,
> > tnysteph@xxxxxxxxx writes:
> >
> > I guess  some only pucker, others only tongue block. But some mix both
> into
> > their  playing. I know Ronnie Shellist does both. I am trying to do the
> mix
> > of the  two also. So my question Does anyone have any good practice tips?
> > Any tips to  jump started this mix?
> > There is a lot to learn with 10 little holes, lol. I  am trying.
> > Thanks for any help.
> > Tony Stephens
> >
> > Sent from my  iPhone
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>