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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Doomed by receding jawline
Doomed by receding jawline
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edi68815
2 posts
Jun 06, 2014
3:19 PM
I have only started learning the harmonica and making reasonable progress - bends, vibrato, single notes etc. I really enjoy it a lot. However, I'm beginning to fear I'm just not genetically equipped for the long haul. Basically, between my front teeth and bottom teeth there's a good inch (minimum of difference). That makes it quite difficult to swallow up the harmonica because my lower lip is so much further back that my top lip and it means that, in order to pout my lips out or narrow them for a single note, I'm exerting a good deal of tension and thrust on my jaw. Am I simply doomed by my horrible bone structure or is there another technique I should try? I'm trying to figure out tongue blocking to see if it might present a less achey alternative.

Perhaps somebody has encountered this issue?
Frank
4473 posts
Jun 06, 2014
5:21 PM
If your making reasonable progress - just "keep on harpin" as they say and more progress is inevitable :)
arzajac
1396 posts
Jun 06, 2014
6:13 PM
Are you able to create a seal without protruding your jaw? Are you puckering like an old maid because that's how the technique was described to you or is it the only way they you can get the harp to play?

You describe an overbite or possible something like Micrognathia. Does your face/bone structure look something like this guy?



That's Mike Stevens, one hell of a harpist.

On the topic of Tongue Blocking, you may have success with looking at it this way: With puckering, you play through a hole in the middle of your lips. With TBing, you play out of the corner of your lips with your tongue somewhere in the middle. Your tongue blocks the hole you would play though if you were playing pucker style.

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Last Edited by arzajac on Jun 06, 2014 6:17 PM
GMaj7
435 posts
Jun 07, 2014
5:46 AM
Try to adapt and play in the most relaxed position possible. Stretching a little is a good thing. Bring your jaw forward and hold it in that position for a 10 count X 3 and then relax. After you reach 10, stretch it a little further

This will loosen your jaw a little and you won't feel as if you are playing under tension.

Also, you may be genetically challenged to playing some of the exact sounds produced by the other 10,000 harmonica players out there, but may be pre-disposed to making new sounds.

You might be able to naturally play some really sweet sounding 1st position stuff with strong blow bends.

There have blind pianists, short fingered guitarists, amputees playing both and there was even a deaf composer you might have heard of.. (Beethoven..)

I think you are in a unique position to something creative..
Heaven knows we need that in the harp world!


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Greg Jones
16:23 Custom Harmonicas
greg@1623customharmonicas.com
1623customharmonicas.com
Greg Heumann
2735 posts
Jun 07, 2014
9:15 AM
You can tilt the harp down to help as well.
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Blowhead9
11 posts
Jun 09, 2014
11:16 AM
If Django could play guitar like that without fingers...
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For every moment of triumph, every instance of beauty, many souls must be trampled. HST
Danny_D
6 posts
Jun 09, 2014
12:47 PM
Since you are still a beginner it is more likely an issue of technique than overbite.

Do try tongue blocking. You will need to learn this anyway since it will make a lot of things easier as you progress. Give it a week or so of practice and you'll be a great fan of tongue blocking. Tongue blocking and puckering are both necessary as a harpist ( from my experience anyway). You'll drool bucket loads while learning that technique, but it will soon ease up.

Keep practicing and improving your technique and before long you'll have it licked ;-)

Last Edited by Danny_D on Jun 09, 2014 12:48 PM


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