I do a lot of both too but my preference is TB. That's because that's where the very best tone comes from. Can-O-Worms opened but the undisputed kings of tone TB. I'm not very good at the left side for single notes but I do some. I do lots of octaves but that's not really what I think of as tongue blocking. What I think of as TB is the millisecond of chord you get before the note. That's where TB get's the big house sound. signed, TB nazi
I exclusively tongue block and I always block on the left side (breathe out the right), except in the case of octaves.
The harp masters-- Little Walter and Sonny Boy-- tongue blocked primarily on the left side, but switched on the 1. It enables faster movement going from the 1 to the 4. I haven't put time into that, but it's worth it. ---------- Marc Graci YouTube Channel
I TB more than 75% of the time these days. When I do and am playing single notes, I have my tongue blocking on the right, opening is on the left corner to get the note. So on holes 1-4 for example, if going for a 1 draw, my tongue blocks holes 2-4. ----------
well yes, of course you do... if you want to improve your playing then never stop learning.
start with one blow, heck if you are already playing octaves you are almost there. the 2 draw can take a while, but what is the hurry? you could practice this in your car at a stop light.
I tend to switch back and forth tongue block to lip purse.
I can only state with certainty based upon the faith I have in the excellent harmonica teachers Winslow Yerxa and David Barrett.
"Corner switching is a powerful technique. Classical players use it all the time, but Little Walter also used it from time to time." -Winslow Yerxa, 06/14/2013 ---------- Marc Graci YouTube Channel
I have been playing for 45 years. Up until about 3 years ago, I was 100% Lip Purser except when I played splits or actaves. Then I went to Jason and Winslow's Harmonica Collective (as a student for a change and not a vendor) and came away from that experience committed to learning how to TB. It was hard at first but as Ralph Wlado Emerson once said, "That which we persist in doing becomes easier to do - not that the nature of the thing has changed but our power to do has increased."
But still, I was confused about whether tongue blockers tongue blocked 100% of the time or if they went back and forth between TB and LP. Then I saw this video by Ronnie Shellist and it helped put things into perspecitve.
I don't follow Ronnie's strategy exactly but I am very comfortable, both mentally and physically, switching back and forth between the two styles. ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
Last Edited by florida-trader on Jul 19, 2017 11:25 AM
I use both and switch back and forth according to attack feel.also I use the bent tip of T. to cover bottom part of hole on holes 6 to 10, when I play fast runs. the half cover gives more control and can use more air, with a fat tone, can`t go wrong with that.....
"From time to time." I.e., only now and then, not as a regular practice or method, and with no specification regarding Hole 1. And only Little Walter. What about Sonny Boy? =========== Winslow
Littoral states " do lots of octaves but that's not really what I think of as tongue blocking. What I think of as TB is the millisecond of chord you get before the note. That's where TB get's the big house sound. "
What you're describing is the tongue slap, which is only one of many tongue blocking techniques. Any time you put your tongue on the holes to select notes - including playing octaves and even single notes - you're tongue blocking. =========== Winslow
I've used a three fold approach, as I've been a SERIOUS STUDENT OF THE DIATONIC.
Now, the following does take a long commitment, but the rewards are wonderful.
I was a single note player from day 1 for many many many years. Then, when I discovered octaves, I began putting my tongue to harmonica. Next began an interest in TB style/sound, so I learned with tongue to the left. Then I took my single note bending concept and learned it all over again with tongue on harmonica TB style. What followed was learning beyond the usual octave splits - with 1 hole blocked and then expanding out with 3 (or even more) holes blocked. At this time I started to tongue switch for large leaps without having to move the harmonica. Finally, I began TB all over again, but with the tongue to the right side - getting comfortable with it and also bending.
This took a few years to work through, but, as I said, I was (and am still) a serious student of harmonica technique. The result is pretty amazing and offers up so many choices in how I approach playing.
The one thing that escapes me, even though I've tried off and on again over the years, is the high end blow bends with tongue on harmonica as well as any OB/OD. Those that do these successfully have my admiration. ---------- The Iceman
Iceman - I'm with you. I can't OB/OD or blow bend while TB. That is where I switch to LP but you can do that fairly seamlessly. The thing about learning to TB is that it promotes a very relaxed embouchure so even when you switch to LP is less tense that it used to be when I LPed exclusively. ---------- Tom Halchak www.BlueMoonHarmonicas.com
I block 'to the left' of the note, but I don't think of it as 'using the right side' of my tongue. I use the tip of my tongue on the harp. Sometimes I see people talk about 'side tongue blocking' and I think it's a slight misconception which may contribute to the difficulty they claim to have with the technique. I block to the left by default and switch for hole 1 at times. Mainly when going for the 1-4 jump. Hummel suggested I should switch for hole 1 all the time. Gussow suggested Little Walter switched from the 3 out thevright in the intro to blues with a feeling. I dunno about that. I suspect Cotton may have had pretty good facility with both sides. Michael Rubin said here that he had once trained himself to use both sides with equal facility. Jerry Portnoy said he used to block everything but felt it had caused an asymmetrical embouchure and he didn't like that so developed a style of transitioning to lipping around hole 4 and below. Dennis gruenling said he blocks everything except 1 hole and sometimes 10 hole and some pucker-only specialties I play all bends tb also 6 ob
TB 100% with the exception of high end blow bends.
Block one side only, tongue to left. I tried the other side and could never get it. Mentioned this to Deak and he had me switching sides in a couple minutes. But I haven't put in the work yet to actually play all over the harp on the right side.
---------- Jim McBride Bottle 'O Blues microphones www.bottleoblues.com
I'm now a 100% TB player. I play single notes mostly on the right but switch for hole 1. I can bend the one hole that way too. I can overblow and blow bend, but the overdraw escapes me as of yet. I love pulls and slaps. It' s taken me 5 or 6 years to get here. ----------
Last Edited by mr_so&so on Jul 20, 2017 4:25 AM
I switch for hole 1 often, but not all the time. Otherwise always playing out the right side of the mouth except for octaves and occasionally interval jumps which break up otherwise typical lines nicely. Need to do that more...
my advice is just TB all the time - bends, single notes, everything (except double & triple tonguing). Do this for a few months and you'll probably stop puckering single notes and bends after a while. That was my experience but it was still early on for me so YMMV.
I can TB my blow bends now pretty well too but still can't OB in a TB at all. But I'm not an OB player so that's probably why.. I'm inspired by others that can do this (good to know it's possible!) but I'm still not interested enough to chase OB/OD in a pucker let alone in a TB. ---------- 4' 4+ 3' 2~~~ -Mike Ziemba Harmonica is Life!
Last Edited by slaphappy on Jul 19, 2017 7:15 PM
Irish, not quite sure what you're asking. I was just thinking how I'd seen people sometimes write about 'side tongue blocking' usually in a context of not being able to do it but being ok with playing splits, and o get the impression they had a mental image of using the side of their tongue on the harp, especially when bending. of course this is not really how it works and would leD to lots of pressure and dribble and frustration. It's just the tip of tongue lithhtly touching the harp. The difference between lipping and tongue blocking is really not very much. I have the impression (probably because this wS me at some time) that people who are struggling with tongue blocking may be trying a bit too hard. But I'm sure it's easy to say that and harder to know what the heck I'm talking about if you can't already do it
I leRned tb blow bending pretty much by refusing to play them any other way. Even though it was rather frustrating I knew I wouldn't leRn if I allowed myself to play them puckered. The only one I lipped was the ten, and it is still the one I occasionally struggle with, although I do play it tb about 90% now. Probably more like 99%. Same with ob6. I just didn't want to change embouchure. But it's an idle boast really, I rarely use it because my repertoire is all old hat emulation of older style playing, of which I still have so much to learn. Just what floats my boat
I've been working on using tongue blocking to quickly alternate between octaves, for example, draw 1 and draw 4. It is surprisingly awkward at first - at least for me! Annie Raines talked about it.
Until recently though,I did not know you could blow bend or OB while TB. I haven't really worked on that yet,but it is my next step. ---------- www.shakeylee.com
I learned octaves in my second year of playing and used U blocking to imitate slaps.
Around my 8th year (currenty at 32 years of playing) I got serious about slaps.
Someone advised I should work on bending and I heard that Jimi Lee could play equally well out of both sides of the mouth, so I got down to it. My facility has decreased as I became less interested in it, but for a while I was equally strong on both sides.
I enjoy corner switching for many purposes, not just hole 1, but primarily use the left side opening for hole 1 if I intend to quickly jump to 4. Otherwise I play hole 1 in the same method as I do any other hole and I block phantom holes to the left of hole 1. I also sometimes switch to puckering for hole 1, sometimes holes 1 thru 3 and sometimes the whole harp.
I spent 3 years doing 100% TBing on all but high note blow bends. I improved, but missed the many advantages of puckering and U blocking. The technical advantages has been poured over, but I think what is not discussed is the licks and timing suggested by each embouchure.
I have spent around 2 separate summers devoted to nothing but high note TB bends. When I use the exact same embouchure I use for the low notes I struggle. When I slightly alter my blocking from 3 holes to two holes I am at a professional level on the high notes, but the ease does not compare to U blocking, which remains my main method for navigating holes 7 thru 10.
I have had minimal success TBing overblows, again the less holes I block on the left the easier they become. I know it is possible because I have met a few people who do it well and their overblows have a tonality reminiscent of TB single notes.
Last Edited by Michael Rubin on Jul 21, 2017 5:47 AM
I was exclusively a tongue blocker for several years. The little "how to play harmonica" guide that came with my first Hohner gave two options to create a single note. I tried both. TB was easy and instant. So I never tried the alternative until long after I had learned to bend everything TB. Then I discovered certain techniques were far easier LB: double and triple tonguing, triplets on the bends of a single hole. The only bend I find easier to LB is the 10 hole double blow bend, and I am trying to make the switch from TB to LB there for things like Whammer Jammer. So I would say I am definitely Primarily TB, but I am willing to use what works best for me. Regarding switching and proficiency with the other side: It is easier for me to switch to Lip Blocking than to switch sides of my tongue! The reason is partly that I have found so few songs where that is the most effective and easiest technique. Usually to master a technique I need to use it in a song and play it about a million or so times. A couple of licks in Little Walter's "Just your fool" is the only place that comes to mind where switching would be an advantage, but not essential. On the other hand, there are no end of opportunities to use single hole triplets and double tonguing, so that gets reinforced very nicely. In my opinion, anyone who has mastered both sides has pretty well mastered another emboucher!
