SmokeJS
102 posts
Jun 06, 2013
8:25 AM
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Taking a workshop next year that includes time with Joe Filisko. I've come to realize he's much more than a harp customizer. Looking through his website there are some playing guides Joe has shared with the public. Great advice but I'm wondering if anyone can tell me how they've incorporated the exhale push (EP) into their daily practice routine? I'm also wondering if anyone has devised a method for practicing the nose push (NP) to get air out while exhaling?
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bluemonk
11 posts
Jun 06, 2013
9:15 AM
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Joe has a great tune available on his web site for working on the exhale push.The entire tune used only inhale notes so you get a great workout getting rid of air using the EP.
http://www.filiskostore.com/product/IOUB%20D
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Jim Rumbaugh
865 posts
Jun 06, 2013
10:20 AM
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I do not know about "practicing" the exhale, but I do know Joe uses those notions in his tabs to remind the player to get rid of the air before the next passage.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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bluemonk
12 posts
Jun 06, 2013
12:49 PM
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One thing I used when working on IOU Blues was to use a nose clip to get a feel for not bringing air back in through the nose after employing the Exhale Push. As important as it is to get air out before playing a long phrase of inhale notes it is equally important to not let air leak back in through your nose while playing the phrase.
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Sandbagger
5 posts
Jun 07, 2013
4:25 PM
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Agree with bluemonk about IOU blues for practising the exhale push. Joe's practise tune "Shakey's Boogie" also available from his website is great for practising the nose push - at least 3 of the 7 choruses in the tune require the nose push, as explained in note 2 of the cover sheet.
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SmokeJS
104 posts
Jun 08, 2013
4:45 AM
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Sandbagger and/or bluemonk, perhaps you can clarify something for me? From the Filisko descriptions I would have thought the EP and the NP were very closely linked and that the NP was a significant part of achieving getting completely empty via EP. Reading your comments I'm wondering if in fact they are two more different processes and my understanding is inaccurate?
Last Edited by SmokeJS on Jun 08, 2013 4:46 AM
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Sandbagger
6 posts
Jun 08, 2013
6:13 AM
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They are two different things. The exhale push is where you breathe all your air out through your mouth just before you play a run of inhale notes, so that you can play all the inhale notes without filling up with air before the end of the run. Your harp isn't in your mouth when you do an exhale push, you are just quickly breathing out through your mouth during a convenient break in the tune.
The nose push is when you play an exhale note and open your nose to let some air out at the same time, it's a way of dumping air, but this time you are not taking the harp out of your mouth so you can dump air by breathing out of your mouth (exhale push), but you're breathing out of your nose while playing an exhale note at the same time.
A lot of blues tunes have more inhale notes than exhale notes, so you normally close your nose when playing inhale notes so you don't fill up with air too much before your next chance to dump air. Even so you can fill up. If your next chance to dump air is a break in the tune, you can use the exhale push and dump it through your mouth. If your next chance is an exhale note you can dump it through your nose with the nose push. If the tune doesn't have a break in the melody for a while you'll have to use the nose push on the next convenient exhale note (because an exhale push would interrupt the rhythm or melody).
Joe prefers to use the term "exhale note" to "blow note", to emphasise the fact that you inhale/exhale/breathe through the harp, rather than puff and blow, so an "exhale note" is a blow note, and doesn't imply a connection to the technique "exhale push".
The tune IOU blues doesn't have any exhale notes, so you can't use the nose push, but it does have some spaces where you can use the exhale push. The point of the tune is to play the more bluesy inhale notes and instead of inserting blow notes so you can breathe out, which would make it less bluesy, use the exhale push instead so you can stay on the bluesy inhale notes.
The tune Shakey's Boogie is faster and more rhythmical so you wouldn't want to interrupt it for an exhale push and spoil the tune. Many bars have 3 inhale notes and one exhale note, so you nose push on the exhale note to stop you filling up after a few bars.
That's my understanding of how Joe taught it to me anyway, although I wouldn't presume to speak for the great man himself. The practise tunes from his website are ridiculously good value for money and will greatly improve your playing, you get the notation and backing tracks at different speeds (with and without harp), and on the harp tracks where Joe plays the tunes at different speeds he makes sure you can hear him exhale on the recording.
Last Edited by Sandbagger on Jun 08, 2013 6:34 AM
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SmokeJS
105 posts
Jun 08, 2013
9:42 AM
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Thanks Sandbagger. If I've got it right the concept of EP is preparatory while NP is happening while playing. My guess is that keeping the nose closed during inhale only will take a bit of focus but just being aware of the benefits should go a long way to accomplishing it. I'm building exhale nose open and inhale nose closed Into my warmup routine and given time it should be come natural.
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Frank
2495 posts
Jun 09, 2013
3:02 PM
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Joe seems like a trippy fellow...Anyone ever meet him, what's he like? Thanks :)
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