1 draw bend
Hi David. I have been tongue blocking for years, but I just started TB bending and tongue switching on the 1 hole when I discovered this site a few months back. I am having a hard time with the one draw half step bend. All my other bends are developing nicely, but something about that tongue switch and low hole haven't quite come together. Feels like the size and shape of the chamber in my mouth is just not the same with the tongue switch. Feel like I don't have anywhere to pull the bend and hard to arch my tongue. Any suggestions or articulation (eeh-ooh or is it tah-doh) that might help. It seems to be coming along slighty on the D harp for "The Strut" but I have been trying the lower octave blues scale (from the 2nd position book) exercise and the A harp is tough.
The tongue switch reminds me of what it was like when I first learned to ride my snowboard and skateboard backwards.
Thanks
First check the pitch of your 1 draw when tongue blocking with a chromatic tuner to make sure that you're not starting that hole already a little bent... making the bend you do sound weak since it's already gone down a bit before you started.
Next, try dropping your jaw and pushing it slightly forward to make more room for your tongue. Keep experimenting... it will come.
A side note, most player who switch to mostly tongue blocking will tend to pucker the 1. I pucker the 1 most the time, but am tongue blocking it more and more these days (I like the sound and am still implementing it into my playing as well). Good luck!