ungar
17 posts
Dec 06, 2014
10:11 AM
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I basically tongue block everything except, sometimes, hole 1. Today it occurred to me that, if you're gonna go that route, it makes more sense to left tongue block everything; that way, you have the exact same embouchure on holes 1-4 and only have to narrow your embouchure on holes 8-10, where you play infinitely less and, besides, might want to shift to a pucker anyway since that makes it easier to get the blow bends. I don't know if I'll pluck up the courage to try, but I wonder why people have always been tongue blocking notes to the right. Any ideas?
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Jim Rumbaugh
1058 posts
Dec 06, 2014
10:16 AM
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Here's my "theory" as to why block with hole to right is most common.
When doing 1st position melodies, you are lined up for easy melodies in holes 4 to 10 while you tongue slap 1 chords on the blow and 5 chords on the draw.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
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belfast_harper
365 posts
Dec 06, 2014
10:22 AM
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If you hold the harp the standard way with the numbers at the top it makes sense to tongue block playing the note out of the right side of the mouth and using your tongue to cover the holes to the left side as this gives you access to the chords at the bottom end of the harp that are used for all the typical tongue blocking sounds.
When you get to hole one it is normal to tongue switch so you can access the chord at the other side.
You should be able to tongue block your blow bends with a bit of practice, just start practising on lower keys until you can get it.
EDIT: Crossed post
Last Edited by belfast_harper on Dec 06, 2014 10:25 AM
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ungar
21 posts
Dec 06, 2014
10:27 AM
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Oh right, of course. I feel stupid. I've been doing a lot of chromatic lately, where the lower holes are little uncomfortable with a right tongue block, and completely forgot about slapping. Forget I said anything.
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2chops
307 posts
Dec 06, 2014
11:28 AM
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I play mostly lip purseing. But when I TB I've always done it with my tongue blocking to the right. Playing from the left. It just made sense since a lot of time in 2nd position is spent at the bottom. When I play the top end I do the same except for holes 9 & 10 which I pucker. When I play my chrom I TB everything. You just can't beat the tone on a TBed chrom.
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
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Michael Rubin
1000 posts
Dec 06, 2014
5:16 PM
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Although I can left TB I only do so when anticipating my next note is in hole 4 or higher.
What I highly suggest to to always have your mouth wide enough to play a 4 hole chord and your tongue to the left of the hole you are playing, wide enough to block three holes.
Always, especially when playing holes 1, 2 and 3.
There, when playing hole number you are playing with the same embouchure as hole 4.
If you weren't holding the harp in the left hand, the audience would see your open mouth and tongue to the left of the harp.
I was teaching at a seminar with Jimi Lee and Greg Izor. They both agreed this was their method.
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Mirco
228 posts
Dec 06, 2014
5:30 PM
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If I remember correctly, David Barrett told that it was so that the chords sound better when you use slaps or pulls.
For example, tongue blocking a 4 draw on a C harp:
In reference standard position (blocking holes 1,2,3 with your tongue), you will have a G-B-D chord available to you on the lower end when you use slaps or pulls.
If you tongue blocked on the right (blocking holes 5,6,7) you would have F-G-B available when you used slaps or pulls.
In both cases, the chord available is "correct" in that it would fit the I chord of the 12 bar blues, but the 5-6-7 would stand out too much. Pulls and slaps are meant to add texture and shouldn't stand out.
Did this make sense? It's possible I misunderstood the original question. Wow, I just wrote this whole thing and see that belfast answered it in a more concise way.
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Frank101
39 posts
Dec 06, 2014
6:29 PM
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MR - so, no chords or slaps at all when playing 1, and only partial ones when playing 2 and 3?
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jimr
75 posts
Dec 06, 2014
7:03 PM
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Use U block to slap hole 1. Not a problem to switch from U block to TB with practice.
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Frank101
40 posts
Dec 06, 2014
7:57 PM
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jimr -
Not a problem to switch from left tongue block to right tongue block with practice.
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harpoon_man
83 posts
Dec 07, 2014
6:23 AM
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I'm a proponent of switching to the left side tongue block for hole 1. With practice, you can make the transition seamless, and I find it provides a more responsive 1-hole blow note and much easier possibilities for jumping from hole 1 (bent or unbent) to holes 3 and above. I even play hole 2 (including bends) out of the left side sometimes in 3rd position when I need to make fast transitions from hole 1-2 to holes 4 or above - think about some of those passages from William Clarke's "Blowin' the Family Jewels."
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Michael Rubin
1001 posts
Dec 07, 2014
8:56 AM
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Frank, correct. Notice, I do use left tb for swicthes. You can use left TB for slaps, but the chord is higher than the lower single note, which is a different effect.
I am not dogmatic about this stuff, whatever works for you.
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Frank101
41 posts
Dec 07, 2014
10:10 AM
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Oh, absolutely! If it sounds good, it's right.
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SuperBee
2284 posts
Dec 08, 2014
3:34 AM
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i agree about the chords. i don't really Tblock hole 1 unless i'm switching, typically to or from hole 4...doesnt seem much point just putting my tongue on the wood. i guess i block the rest of the harp with the corner of my mouth when i play hole 1. the end of the harp goes a long way in to my mouth i think..like the the back corner of the comb catching the inside of my lip maybe...i dont really think about it whne i play it. i remember trying to 'Tblock' hole 1 when Jimi Lee asked me how i do it...and it seemed really unnatural (like playing a harp is 'natural' in some way, right?)...
but Left Tblock is useful technique. i mean its only a very small move from what you do when you play splits.
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