[Harp-L] beginner Draw 2

[Marc Molino]

Robert,
The best beginner advice I've come across for draw 2 came from Jon Gindick. It goes like this:

  *   Have the player articulate the word "key" as they're exhaling on the 2 hole
  *   Then have them reverse the breath and inhale the word "key" (advise them not to change their mouth/tongue position and just reverse the breath)

Alternatively, for teaching bends on the draw 2, Gindick advised using the sound "koo" (rhymes with the scary sound "boo!") in the same fashion as above.

Caveat, I'm no teacher and barely more than a beginner myself, but I've passed this along to others online who were frustrated and it worked like a charm.

Good luck,
Marc

________________________________
From: Harp-L <harp-l-bounces at xxxxx> on behalf of Robert Hale <robert at xxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2018 7:39 PM
To: harp-l at xxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] beginner Draw 2

ADVICE PLEASE
Of my current students, more than one beginner is troubled with draw 2 on a
C harp. All other notes respond well. This one is squeezed, choked, and can
even sound like a really good whole-step bend!

MY USUAL REMEDY

   1. I have them draw holes 1-2-3 together, and we confirm that the reed
   is responding normally within the chord.
   2. I ask the student to exhale, draw steadily on hole 2, and hold it
   "forever."
   3. By the time they get toward the end of their draw breath capacity,
   the throat releases, and the note rises in pitch. They hear it, and can
   associate the feel with what they just heard.

This remedy is not working for a couple of new students right now. Your
ideas?

Robert Hale
Serious Honkage in Arizona
youtube.com/DUKEofWAIL
DUKEofWAIL.com