Luiz
21 posts
Mar 15, 2009
8:06 PM
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Hey, everybody!
Okay, I've been trying that a lot, listening to Adam saying on lots of videos 'octaves are a very important feature you wanna have if you wanna be a harp player'. And the sound you get out of it is amazing.
But, I just can't figure how to do it. I mean, if I look at the comb and place my tongue on the right spot I can do it (not that easy for draw-octaves). But what about moving between octaves and changing from lip-pursing to TB during the lick?
How do you place the tongue on the comb? Is it the tip? a little bit further? Everytime I try to move the harp to change octaves my tongue seems to stick to the place it is, what's the trick here?
Thanks!
Luiz
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Tryharp
137 posts
Mar 15, 2009
8:51 PM
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Luiz,
I dont think there really is a trick. Just put tip of tongue right on the end of the tine, enough to block the hole either side. To be able to move is really just practice. If you glis up, you can hear when you get there.
TYRHARP
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mickil
84 posts
Mar 16, 2009
6:19 AM
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Luiz,
All I can add to what Tryharp has said is this:
When I was trying to learn to move around using octaves, I found that two things really made it a lot easier:
1. Don't push your tongue too hard on the holes you are tongue blocking; just do it lightly, and it will be a lot easier to move around. You'll be glissing in octaves in no time.
2. Relax your embouchure a little when moving from one octave to the next. If you don't, you'll find that your lips stick to the harp - at least mine did. The seal doesn't have to be that tight.
As for which part of the tongue to use, I think that most players use the top side of the tip.
Hope this helps.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
Last Edited by on Mar 16, 2009 6:21 AM
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Scoltx
43 posts
Mar 16, 2009
6:52 AM
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Good advice from these guys, also I tend to lift a little bit when switching positions with the octave embouchure. When I first learned it, it was a more exaggerated lift, now it's more like just releasing a little pressure with the lips and tongue when I move.
Tongue blocking techniques take some time to develop, I worked on single note Tongue Slaps for months before they started to become second nature. It was frustrating at first because I really wanted the tone they produce in my trick bag. I find new techniques just sort of happen one day (with practice of course), usually when you are not trying so hard to make them happen.
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harpnoodler
55 posts
Mar 16, 2009
6:53 AM
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To help get your embouchure right and tighten up precision, try to do CLEAN 1-4, 2-5, 3-6 blow and draw shakes for a few minutes a day.
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mickil
85 posts
Mar 16, 2009
7:05 AM
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@Scoltx:
"I find new techniques just sort of happen one day (with practice of course), usually when you are not trying so hard to make them happen."
Never a truer word - well, words - spoken. I think that getting used to not trying too hard is half the battle.
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'If it sounds GOOD to you, it's bitchen; if it sounds BAD to YOU, it's shitty' - Frank Zappa
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DanP
30 posts
Mar 16, 2009
3:48 PM
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Octaves take practice like most harmonica techniques. Practice 15-30 minutes a day on octaves only and in a couple of months you will be proficient with octaves. You might start by playing the 4 hole single, blocking the 123 holes with your tongue. Then slowly move your tongue to the right until the 1 hole and the 4 hole sound simultaneously. Just don't move your tongue far enough to block off the 4 hole. Then go back and forth on the 1 and 4 blow and the 1 and 4 draw by simply changing your wind direction. The 1 and 4 draw octave comes in handy when you're playing on the V chord. It's easier for me to use the tip of my tongue to block the two holes in the middle. When you get the feel of it you can move on to the other 6 blow octaves. The draw octaves other than the 1 and 4 are further apart and I use the same part of my tongue that I use in single-note tongue blocking which is the thick part a little beyond the tip. Octaves were hard for me too at first but now they seem like one of the easier techniques to do. It just takes practice. Practice always makes better if not perfect.
Last Edited by on Mar 17, 2009 11:06 AM
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Luiz
22 posts
Mar 18, 2009
5:21 PM
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Hey guys!
Thank you very much for all the tips, they are really good and have helped on understanding how it should be done.
I will try to work on it for a while then I come here to tell how it's going.
Thank you a lot!
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