I lightly rest the top of the front part of my tongue at the roof of my mouth just back from the the top front teeth. This remains lightly anchored there throughout. Relax the tongue and draw to get the tongue fluttering. It feels like one side of my tongue is fluttering between the fixed root of the tongue and the anchored front of the tongue.
The short sample includes:-
1. 2 clean reverse tongue rolls 2. A series of more percussive rolls (a busy line tone)You will hear a kind of a 'bent note' roll going on here. 3. A snippet of 'Busy Line' 4. An extended percussive reverse tongue roll.
Phew that's some beautiful tone man, but I gotta say I can't seem to recreate the effect. You're doing this on a draw right? How is the tongue being made to flutter?
Thanks man! It is on the draw. These things are notoriously difficult to describe, but here goes.
Place the tongue with the right side touching along the upper teeth/gum line. Then arch the tongue up so its touching the roof of the mouth on the right side. The front/tip end should be arched down so it's lightly touching the gum line just above the upper front teeth Thus a seal is formed on the right side of the tongue from the roof to the tip.
The lips on the right side should be sealed but for the remainder arch the lips up on the left for a smile an allow a gap to form. As you draw in air the relaxed left side of of the tongue is free to flutter as all the air is focused on this left side of the tongue. If folk are able to do the front roll, this could be achievable but I find it harder to do the reverse roll and can't sustain it as long.
If you can get the roll, keep everything in place and introduce the harp into the parted lips on the left side and form a seal and inhale.
For the muted sound I initiate a bend approach further back from where the tongue is still sealed on the right side.
BTW I find it a bit easier on a G Harp. Sometimes I find I can't hit it straight away.
Some folk might find it easier to place the harp on the right side and do the tongue seal on the left.
Yeah it's a bit like a slurp except the tongue is static on my right and the tip doesn't move. So its more like a rattle of the left side of the tongue.
