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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
mouth resonance
mouth resonance
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walterharp
155 posts
Dec 19, 2009
1:15 PM
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Hey all,
Two comments recently on the forum, one from choppa and one from mikel made me wonder if this topic has been covered explicitly before here.
If I play a series of notes and then take away the harmonica and do the same thing, I am making a series of sounds that sound like a very breathy soft whistle that is in tune with the notes I just played.
I suspect this is part of what makes notes sound clearly and loudly without lots of wasted breath. Am I alone on this or am I correct that this resonance created with mouth and throat shape is part of obtaining a good tone?
Cheers,
Walter
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nacoran
567 posts
Dec 19, 2009
2:14 PM
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I can't tell if I'm doing that for sure but I can't tell 100%. My lips are far enough apart that the wind doesn't make much noise.
I do some noises for beats sometimes, all mouth stuff, not vocal chords, and they usually and the ones with a sustained pitch seem to be on the note that I'm playing at the same time on the harp. I only seem to be able to make that note unless I get the vocal chords involved.
Doing it on draws seems to do the same thing, so I'm thinking it has less to do with the wind you are creating and maybe more to do with how you are using your mouth to create a sounding box. By creating a sounding box that makes the best sound for the note you are playing, maybe as a byproduct you create a sounding box that creates wind in the pitch you are trying to play.
edit- Sometimes I'll try to shape words, a la Salty Holmes, and I seem to almost pronounce the words, only not articulating the last part, since the harmonica is blocking my lips.
Last Edited by on Dec 19, 2009 2:16 PM
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hvyj
24 posts
Dec 19, 2009
2:56 PM
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If you are playing with an open and deep embouchure, diaphragmatic air production, and a large RELAXED oral resonance chamber it is absolutely possible to bend by simply changing the size of the resonance chamber.
And YES, a large air aperture, deep embouchure, deep diaphragmatic air production, and creating an open and relaxed resonance chamber are essential to good tone.
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barbequebob
239 posts
Dec 19, 2009
6:04 PM
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Hvyj, I absolutely agree 100% with you and this very similar to good vocal technique as well. It`s a very important as well as a highly ignored and highly misunderstood aspect of playing.
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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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