Articulaion
What is the purpose of articulation in harmonica playing? Thanks.
Thank you, Fredrik. It is extremely helpful. I'll keep this information in mind as I learn how to do this technique.
Betty
Think about the world "article." It means a separate and distinct thing.
Articulation helps to set off single notes, or even whole phrases, as distinct "articles."
Violinists have several things they do with a bow to create articulation, while wind players - that includes us harp players - use devices such as starting and stopping the breath, throat coughs, and using our tongues to make consonant sounds like "T' and "K" to both begin and end "articles," whether those articles are single notes or phrases. Some harmonica-specific articulations include slaps and pull-offs.
Phrasing and articulation are two sides of the same coin. Articulation separates things, phrasing joins them together.
Hi,
by articulation I guess you mean pronouncing soemthing into the harp like "ha" or "ta" or "yuddle" or "dwa".
They all have different uses to me, "ha" and "ka" are good for starting a a tone very distinct and controlled whereas "dwa" and "yuddle" for example can be used to present a note differently, that is adding some kind of effect. "Dwa" for example gives you kind of an ornamental bend which means the tone will come out different from not using the articulation.
The number of ways a tone can be presented on the harmonica is mindblowing, with every different articulation you will get a different sound.
Hope this helps.
Fredrik