Just got done reading how the blues is dead ...and how nobody is talking about Harmonica ...So here is what i want to ask the fourm ... When TB do you block the left side ... Or the right side to play single notes ?.. i have heard that some folks can do it on the right side ... is this true ?... now im not talking about octaves or octave bends ...Just single note and tongue slaping in between notes ....and doing a run ...up ...or down..
I curl my tongue and block both sides....the single notr is is the middle. I've not heard of anyone else doing it that way. It's how I learned.
Paul ----------
Music is your own experience, your own thoughts, your wisdom. If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn. They teach you there's a boundary line to music. But, man, there's no boundary line to art. - Charlie Parker
I've been trying an experiment where I put my tongue firmly in my cheek to see if getting it out of the way will help me with fast runs. It's seems to help.
block left with fat of tounge on the teeth of the comb, blow/draw w/ right side of mouth for single notes.
move tounge backing off from comb for chords then forward quickly for the "slap" and single note effect. do this either blowing or drawing. great effect.
PS. i thought you tounge blocked. are you just being a good sport?
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 7:11 PM
I block holes on the left and play the single note on the right. (For single notes and slaps) I guess the only hole I don't tounge block is the 1, no real need when there are no holes to the left.
sometimes i'll block unecessarily where there are no holes left. i don't know why. sometimes i'll just tounge switch. this is good for fast jumps from #1 to #4 etc.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 7:27 PM
I've been a lip purser since I was kid, but I do a lot more TB now and I do both on probably every song I play. 80 percent of the TB time, I'm blocking middle, playing double stops on either side. I play a lot of double stops. Now, when I tongue block, it is almost always when I want to play a single note or a phrase of single notes in the midst of a whole bunch of double stops. When I do this, I always play the note on the right side. I had never thought about this, but that's pretty much always the case. When I try to play off the left side, the movement feels awkward, almost the same awkwardness I get when trying to write with my left hand (I am right handed).
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www.harrisonharmonicas.com
Last Edited by on Jul 01, 2010 4:40 AM
I'm left-handed, and it's a big problem for me to learn TB. I use my tongue a lot when I play, but I'm not sure it can be called "tongue-blocking". ---------- http://www.buddybrent.be
Block the lower notes with the tongue, if I need to play an octve jump switch from puckering the lower note to TBing the higher note. Don't like to switch sides of the tongue as it leads to a more "front of the mouth tone", that I don't always want.
Either side. Mainly left, but sometimes right, more of a unique sound when slapping, also seems to be easier when switching to octaves. Also seems to give a fuller, smoother tone sometimes, the downside being that it's harder for me to bend.
Does anybody strictly block a certain amount of holes as a rule? For example, when bending 4Draw, you block 1 2 and 3? Sometimes I only block 2 or 1 holes depending on what is comfortable, but I wonder does it lessen tone?
Hi Bro's I dress to the left side, TB holes 1 up my tongue sort of like Ryan-M sits on the end & around the side of the comb to play 1 hole, i was taught that ways so it the norm for me..
Yo Dirty D When TB bending your jaw must not move everything happens inside the mouth cavity it's oposite to LP bending where you drop your jaw..
LP & TB switching i would leave this one for the Pro's or sit down and Practise it relentlesly to get it right befor putting it into practise..
Why? if you can't do both with the same amount of Emboucer your playing will suffer switching from TB to LP, you won't get strait back on the Tune, your tone drops for a few seconds then regain your correct emboucer it sounds a bit sloppy,
so Im full time TBer i couldn't get the swapping thing down pat so i droped LPing..
Ps no Im not saying one method is better than the other both worked for me at one stage in my life:)
Wow a great thread and still going ....Beleve it or not im a 96% TBER = Tongue Block ER ... lol .. if im in second pos i hold my tongue in the one hole .. If im in first i vamp the rhythm bass line starting on the 1-4 octave same for third pos except oppisite blow or draw ... 1-4 draw for third ... But when im going to a turnaround i dont bother Tongue blocking the one draw ... Because you aint going to lose any tone ... cus the one hole draw has tone already and you can hear the diffrence either way ... and the articulation .. is better in LP .. i also Blow bend in LP .. unless im doing old school 1 st pos that requires the tongue slapping slash vamping stuff ... Deford Bailey .. old cats ....But all my draw bends are done TB even the 6 DR 3 DR Blue note in fact every draw except the 1 DR ... I lose alot of articulation and speed that way .. and it is proven when you hear guys like adam .. and Jason .. do it ... But i like to boogie and the rhythm vamping tongue slaping to me is the Bees Knees ....I love my tone and if you ever heard me live you know what im talking about ...I say when i swiched from LP to 96% TB i sacrificed speed for tone ....The only drawback from playing like this it is hard to do fast runs without swicthing back to LP ... i played 16 years that way ... till i started working for James Cotton ...Every time he showed me how he does a certan run .. He would play it .. with Big Tone ... then i would play the same lick to him .. and it sounded like a Swich Blade ...Knife ... it took me a long time to figure it out ... cus Cotton would only show me the lic .. he never told me he was TB ing ... He always told me .. " Deak Listen " all i want you to do is Listen ... Now i was 28 yrs old just a kid so i was pretty scared ... And he tought the old way .. Verry Mean .. if you dident get it atleast close he would tear you up verbaly ... So trust me i was listening ... Finaly when i was coming back from Chicago ..Finishing up a tour and just swiched harp cases with Cotton i had my harps in his old case ...For folks that dont know my Bio .. I Drove for James Cotton .. I was his East Coast Rd MGR ........ when i got back home in Jersey .. I picked up my A Harp .. and i just like that played my first good 2 hole draw TB ... just like that ... The Mojo in James Cottons Harp Case ... Went right through my Harps ... And it still does to this day ....
I am left handed too ...so i dont know what you mean The Gloth .... I actualy think it is easy to learn harp left handed ..cus you automaticly grab it with yur left ...and left brains are cool too ... good for music ...
Joe L ...I hear ya there that little paper that came with Marine Band Harps ... I threw it out and just played ....Till i met Cotton i had no idea ....about TB ...
