[Harp-L] Evening Harp Thoughts

[Rick Dempster]

Laugh, while breathing in (or out, but the effect is most evident on draw
holes 1-6)
RD-

On 17 May 2017 at 15:01, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx>
wrote:

> The midi costs $600.  After 30 years of playing diatonic harp for a living,
> you can estimate I've spent over $40,000 on harp and related equipment.  It
> is a drop in the bucket for a cool toy.  At every gig I play, people line
> up after the show to talk to me about the midi harp.
>
> As for vibrato:
>
> Draw in and say hoo hoo hoo hoo.  Place the tip of the tongue on the floor
> of the mouth about a centimeter behind the bottom  gumline and raise the
> back of the tongue as high as possible in an arc.  Aim your airflow up and
> down.  Don't start on a vibrato, bring it in.  Don't over do it.  Subdivide
> the clicks of a metronome by 12,2s,3s,4s. Expect around 4 years of practice
> before it becomes nice to listen to.  I am not being snarky, that's about
> average.
>
> Michael Rubin
> michaelrubinharmonica.com
>
> On Tue, May 16, 2017 at 9:22 PM, Joseph Leone <3n037 at xxxxx> wrote:
>
> >
> > > On May 16, 2017, at 9:27 PM, Leonard Schwartzberg <
> > leonard1 at xxxxx> wrote:
> > >
> > > Harpers:   As you might know, I'm somewhat of a lower intermediate,
> > > intermediate... type player, enjoy the BLUES totally, and enjoy
> > listening to
> > > David Barrett, Madcat, Jake Knows H.., reading Winslow's Blues for
> > Dummies
> > > (yes, I took your advice and bought the book).
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Couple of things re:  Cupping/Volume/Dynamics & Throat Vibrato.   I've
> > been
> > > watching lots of videos and as a rule of thumb I've been closing the
> cup,
> > > closing the sound, on the blow notes, and opening and screaming at the
> > make
> > > believe audience on the draw bluesy bent notes.    It's really been
> > making
> > > me much more aware of dynamics and sometimes I honestly feel I get
> extra
> > > free notes because of the difference from cupped and uncapped and loud
> > and
> > > soft and fluttered and, you get the idea.   Oh well, I guess each of
> the
> > > holes on my Session Steel diatonics almost play 8, 9, 10 or many more
> > > different notes or sounds.. Not just the draws and blows and bends.
> > Can
> > > the Midi, therefore, produce 50 or 100 notes on each hole?   Is that
> too
> > > many?   Listen to some of the real blues greats!!!!   They are
> great!!!!
> > > They make that tiny tin sandwich truly sing.    Bet the Midi can't do
> > that..
> > > and it costs a grand.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On throat vibrato, which I seem to be lousy at, I've been chewing the
> > > mouthpiece and therefore producing a good vibrato.   I want to get the
> > > vibrato from my throat on the draws, the blows are easy as they sound
> > like
> > > the rat tat tat of a machine gun.   I can't seem to get good throat
> > vibrato,
> > > perhaps someone can give me the secret.
> >
> > Try to find a video of a old time comic named Burt Lahr. The gargle that
> > he does will get you started.
> > smojoe
> >
> > >   I try and try at least for a short
> > > time each day to work on it, but I'm convinced there's a secret and I'm
> > just
> > > not getting it.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Thanks guys/gals, Leonard
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ---
> > > This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
> > > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> >
> >
>