Ok, so I played around with a harp a lot in High school, 20 years later I'm actually trying to learn to play. I've started with Adam's beginners lesson pack and have been doing alot of reading here on the forums. I recently found a couple of videos showing how I "should" be holding the harp and of course it's not how I hold it.
So here are my issues,
1. Harp in left hand, my thumb does not come out as far as the finger in top of the harp. I can hold it with the two fingers even but it feels uncomfortable. Actually my hand gets sore pretty quick when I concentrate on holding it this way and its distracting me from playing.
2. My right hand is essentially not doing anything, I know its important to get this right to control the sound but I'm concentrating on the notes and keeping time and when I think about my right hand I realize its not doing anything.
I guess my question is, have I already ruined my chances of being successful at learning to play with the bad hand habits I have. Do I concentrate on Embouchure and being able to play strong notes, scoops, draws and worry about the hand position later? Or do I need to slow down and get the hand position right first?
Should it be this difficult to concentrate on , playing, hand position , breathing, keeping time all at once? I know the answer is probably, just keep practicing it will get easier with time, I guess I just need to hear some encouragement letting me know everyone goes through this phase.
Last Edited by on Jun 08, 2010 6:44 PM
There are a couple different ways to hold a harmonica. A lot of it has to do with the size and shape of your own hand. Find what is comfortable for you. The main point is you want to be able to create a tight seal behind the harmonica. If you've got really good seal you can keep most of the sound in until you open your hands open. That will give you the most dramatic wah sound, but it takes a while to learn when it works best. Try playing a simple song over and over a practice session or two and messing with where in the song you move your hand. Once you've got the basics down you'll find you add more at your own pace.
Now, about it hurting your hands, that can be a few things. Some of it is just adjusting your hands so you get it comfortable. Some of it is getting used to it. Some of it is squeezing the harp to tight, and some of it can be the harp. Some harps are more comfortable in your hands than others. The basic shaped harmonica, like a Marine Band, is, at least in my opinion, the least comfortable. Full length covers, like a Seydel Blues Favorite cover or a Hohner Meisterklasse are more comfortable. The extreme other end of the spectrum is the Hohner Golden Melody, with it's smooth corners. Try messing around with your grip to find what's comfortable for you. The important part is to be able to create a tight seal. If your harp has rough corners you can sand them down a bit. And don't worry about it too much. You have to relearn it all when you start playing holding a microphone!
And your right, it gets easier with time, but as it gets easier, you'll notice even more things you want to improve on. It's a never ending cycle, but it would be pretty boring if it wasn't.
" have I already ruined my chances of being successful?"
It depends on your goal. I play with the "wrong hand", my right. It hurts my sound. But I play a lot. I have a lot of fun, and few people notice..... until a really good player comes along and blows me away. That's when it is obvious.
If you have profesional goals, bight the bullet and learn it right. Otherwise, I say, do what feels good and have fun, but realize your limitations.
if you can teach yourself to play the harmonica, treat the position in your hand just as you would a song that is out of reach... practice practice practice...and you'll be satisfied.
The whole wah wah thing is a nice effect, but there is sooo much more that you can do with your mouth and musicality... ---------- YT - Music isn't created... it's evolved.
/I recently found a couple of videos showing how I "should" be holding the harp and of course it's not how I hold it./
Whose videos? There's a lot of good out here in cyberspace, but a lot of disinformation, too...
/have I already ruined my chances of being successful at learning to play with the bad hand habits I have/
No.
Finding something that is comfortable and gives you the sound effects you want will take time and retraining of your body. Whatever you do, don't get stressed out, tensed up and disheartened and keep at it.
/Do I concentrate on Embouchure and being able to play strong notes, scoops, draws and worry about the hand position later? Or do I need to slow down and get the hand position right first?/
Further to what MP and GermanHarpist say above, I've been known to ban my students from using both hands until they can get a nice sound with only one hand holding the harmonica to their mouth (through relaxed mouth / throat postition and relaxed, controlled breathing).
So...
1. For formal practice, (i.e. practice where you worry about "getting it right") if you're practising getting good, strong notes and chords, do it one-handed and focus on that. If you're practising bends, practise that. Break everything down into focused, objective-driven chunks and don't get distracted.
2. For playing, just enjoy making sound, expressing yourself and let everything come together in its own way.
I strongly advise making a solid distinction between 1. and 2.
If you do, you'll find 1. coming out in 2. of it's own accord...
And...
Back to the hands...
Here's a one-handed player who sounds pretty good to me!
just hold the harp as gently as possible, without dropping it on the floor. i'm a righty myself, with the left covering the back. like anything new we do, it take a little time for the muscles to adapt and find a comfort level.
early on in my amped blues experience, my hand and arm would be so sore after a gig, i nearly went to a doctor about it, but with a little time the muscles i needed got a little stronger and the soreness went away.
It took me a LONG time (prolly months) to get the right hand position. I was holding the harp with my right hand for the first few months I played and had to relearn how to hold it in my left. All the things you are concerned with will come with time. Remember to tap your foot or rock or bounce or use a metronome to keep time. Personally I would say tap your foot because that is the best way to keep time without folks knowing you are...LOL!
tog et the Wah wahs you are looking for, you have to mess with different positions to get that tight seal. There are a bunch of differnt ways I ahve seen it done.
Anyways, just keep on practicing and it will come to you. ---------- -[][][][][][][][][][]- Learning is a journey, not a destination... -BL
