Tonegod
1 post
Jan 11, 2010
12:01 PM
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Have been playing blues harp for about 10 years as a secondary to guitar... I
am having trouble getting sound out of holes 7,8 and 9, especially draws.. I
play special 20's and naturally bend on draws, had to teach my self not to bend
when I first started playing... I play with the harp pointed down into my inner
lower lip (my problem maybe??)... but I can hit the ten note blow with no
problems, can even bend a bit... but 7,8,9 holes I sometimes get a sound out but
mostly not... Any suggestions?? different harp, different technique...
anything!!!
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toddlgreene
423 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:03 PM
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well, you'll soon hear that it's been a breath contol issue if they formally sounded and now don't, and that's probably the case. Open the harp up and check your gaps-plenty of vids on youtube and threads here on the subject.
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congaron
405 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:09 PM
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If you are drawing too hard, you may be choking out the draw reeds on the upper octave. The bends are on the blow from holes 7-10. Trying to bend the draws can choke them out and even make another note from the blow reed, if you can do it.
See if the blow bends are working on those holes to rule out gunk in the draw reeds. You can't really blow bend well with gunked up draw reeds.
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toddlgreene
425 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:25 PM
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i'm with what conga said...plus, a good cleaning will possibly help. I sometimes break my own rules and drink beer while playing. it dries sticky on those reed plates and has caused them to seize up temporarily. Dunk those sp20s in water for a while with a little mouthwash, then gently tap them dry on a towel, then see if the problem exists. If so, then it's time to look under the plates.
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Tonegod
2 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:38 PM
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Thanks guys, yeah maybe it is the way I blow and draw that is causing the problem... This happens even on new harps and has done so for about 10 years, even with different harps... I have openned a few harps over the years and tried adjustments with bad effects everytime!!
Like I said I play with the harp pointing down into the inner lower lip.. so much so I had to bend the harp rack so that I can play while playing guitar. I naturally bend and can do some incredible bends (atleast to my ear), but this maybe my problem.. but don't see me changing this as it works well...just wish I could play those 7,8,9s...
thanks for all the help...
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GermanHarpist
937 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:44 PM
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Try creating a big mouth cavity. It feel to me that somehow I have to open my mouth wide and leave my tongue all the way down (out of the way) to play the higher draw reeds, so that the air flows unaltered and doesn't choke the reed.
EDIT: Btw. welcome to the forum! Have a look at the forum how-to to say hello etc... GH
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germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
Last Edited by on Jan 11, 2010 12:51 PM
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congaron
412 posts
Jan 11, 2010
12:46 PM
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One thing I do to control air on the upper octave is push my tongue into my lower teeeth. I can change the length of the airway very slightly. Also..again, very light breath on the upper octave before choking happens, especially on high harps.
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Shredder
105 posts
Jan 11, 2010
8:10 PM
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@ Tonegod,
Most likley your chops aren't in shape.This causes Poor embrochure which is the under lying problem. I had those same issues when I started. I'm a lip purser and had problems in the upper register or the 2nd floor as Adam calls it. Try tounge blocking the 2nd floor and see if this helps, that's what I learned to do. After a while the muscles in my mouth and cheeks got stronger and I was able to lip purse the 2nd floor.
I very seldom tounge block any more except playing octive chords.
If you can play the notes tounge blocked there isn't any thing wrong with the harp.
Mike
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GermanHarpist
942 posts
Jan 12, 2010
3:00 AM
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Shredder, that's an outstanding idea, I'll have to check it out.
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germanharpist on YT. =;-) - Resonance is KEY!
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Tonegod
3 posts
Jan 12, 2010
4:08 AM
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Thanks for all the suggestions... I practiced this past evening and got pretty good results with just using less air... I attack the harp and the guitar the same way, like a bull in a china closet.. and I was attacking the "2nd floor" (I like that!!) the same way and thus it was freezing up... I backed off it a bit and things were better... Just kid of weird I guess, playing some Phat blues harmonica, bending, bending, blowing, overblowing, stretching out notes.. Wobbleing, bend wobbling and then up to the 2nd floor... tip toeing not to wake anyone up I guess :>)... Feels weird, but maybe now that I can play them, in time I will be able to attack them also... I've tried tongue blocking and like you Shredder, I do it with Octives... but never had luck with single notes... Where my way, I can play single notes all day long... I guess my way limits my ability...
Thanks again for all the suggestions....
Jack
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XHarp
248 posts
Jan 12, 2010
7:06 AM
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Tonegod,
Had the same problem myself just a while ago. Had it then lost it, blamed the harps but hey, it was just my technique....
Seems, its always just my technique.
Get back to the basics, diaphragm breathing, breathing exercises, relax when playing, don't over play, don't rush to get to the end and enjoy the journey of taking the time to master the technique. As Shredder noted, tongue blocking worked best for me and opened up other things for me in the rest of the harp.
Stay with it and good luck.
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"Keep it in your mouth" - XHarp
Last Edited by on Jan 12, 2010 7:06 AM
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barbequebob
322 posts
Jan 12, 2010
11:48 AM
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Too much breath force is a HUGE problem for a lot of players, and a lot of players tend to ignore that and/or are in very heavy denial. One thing that also happens to a lot of players who use too much breath force is that along with the excessive force, something else happens, and that is playing with an extremely wet mouth, and the more you do this, the greater the likelihood that either dried on saliva and/or layers of dead skin will form on the reed and/or the reed slot to the point where the reed either goes out of tune or it gets jammed and won't play at all, and so again, it's time for harp players to quit taking the easy way out by blaming the harmonica because the real culprit is 98% of the time, the playing technique more than anything else.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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LYNCH
1 post
Feb 07, 2010
4:50 PM
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I have been having a heck of a time getting my 7 and 8 draws to work on a brand new Hohner blues Harp.I am a beginner so was on here looking for help and while I was posting a message I pulled out the harp and fixed my problem......I think. I have never used much tonge when I play unless I am doing a ta ta on the roof of my mouth but I found that running my tongue along the bottom plate when I play made all those high notes happen.Maybe I am supposed to do that.... I don't know but it fixed my broblem nonetheless.
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