Just when I thought I was at least a little familiar with most of the harmonica techniques being used, this video gets posted on another thread...hinging the lower jaw from side to side.
I tried it and it does not work well for me, but that does not mean it is not fantastic for some or most of you. As a former TMJ sufferer I find the technique makes my jaw pop and grind. It does not work well with my embrochure either. Maybe I'm not doing it correctly.
I would love to hear about it, if it is in your arsenal. If you know of any performance videos of anyone doing this I would love to see.
Better yet, try it and share what your opinion is. Personally, I can't get comfortable with it.
This is the video I mentioned in the speed thread where Dave Barrett discusses the jaw PENDULUM (beginning around 4:40. It's also a good primer for his mic technique.
I saw an instructional vid from Paul Lassey about it quite some time ago. I tried it and found that though I could do it, it felt very unnatural and uncomfortable. I gave up and forgot about it, but now I find I do it nearly all the time without thinking about it. Great technique for speed and accuracy. ---------- Lucky Lester
I can do it somewhat when puckering, but not while tongue-blocking. So, I generally don't do it. Rather, I use my wrists. A quick snap left or right, pivoting in the wrist joint, while keeping the lips very supple. I can use the wrist move while puckering or tongue-blocking and the cup is unaffected. Being right handed, my right wrist leads and the left follows and supports.
"...but not while tongue-blocking" If I well understand, the jaw technique is used to play fast, but when you tongue-block, you don't play fast.In Barrett's vid, he meant tongue-blocking can enlarge the range of notes you can perform without moving, so two complementary techs are used, but not simultaneously, IMO.
BTW, the harp Buddy Greene was using at Carnegie Hall has chances to be one of the best harps on the planet, isn'it? (Which was it????????????)
I never realized it, but yeah I do it all the time also. I read this yesturday and thought why would you want to do that? It must be just one of those things you do after you've been playing awhile. @ lautent2015 I don't think it matters so much weather your tongue blocking or not. Apparently I do it during both!
