2 hole whole step bend
My 2 hole whole step bend is much better in a pucker that with tongue block. I use less effort and have better consistancy. I've been trying to do this bend with a tongue block for a year.
From watcing inverviews on yorr site I know many players pucker bend the lower holes. I'm wondering if I should forget about bending the 2 hole with a tongue block and just stick the the pucker bend on holes one and two.
Thanks
Thanks for your response.
One follow up question: What about the concept of tongue blocking but switching to pucker for the low hole bends.? I know it's not ideal but I've heard some of the player you interview say that they use that method.
Thanks
Hello vid wes. You're better off if you only switch to pucker for holes 1 and 2. If you can TB hole 3, you're ahead of the game by practicing that instead of pucker.
Thanks
Hello vid wes. With time, you will get it. With that said, I understand how a year of practicing the 2" can feel like a long time.
You can pucker 2, but still practice that tongue block bend.
In a pucker, when you want the slap sound, have your lips surround holes 1 and 2 and then swoop into the 2 draw (narrowing your lips from the two holes to the one). Practice this until your 2 slap and 2 pucker-swoop sound the same.
For the pull, again have your lips surrounding holes 1 and 2 and use a TA articulation. This will mimic the sound of the quick chord produced by the pull.
It can be easy to create a more thin, whinny tone in pucker if you're not careful. Make sure your embouchure is open (jaw dropped, with the middle and back of your tongue lowered). I also like to tilt the face of the harmonica downwards (around 25 degrees), nestling the hole more into the lower lip. This allows your mouth to be larger, which will give you a more resonant sound.
Luckily, we're able to mimic the tongue block sound well on holes 1 through 3. If you do it well, nobody will be able to tell that you're not tongue blocking.