Articulations
My harmonica training (lip puckering) started out with learning basic articulations Tah for draw notes and Too for blow notes and Kwee for bent notes. This at first was applied to rhythm chords and eventually single note. Now that more complxities are being added to my lessons (throat vibrato/hand vibrato/breath control) I find trying to remember and use the correct articulation (Tah or Toe) for single draw and blow notes is distracting and slows me down. Do seasoned harpists always articulate very chord/single note when playing or is it more selective? And if so, what determines when articulation is used? Thanks! (I did reference your book for articulation information but didnt see this concept addressed).The question here really is..... do advanced players (whether instinctually or consciously) use articulation most of the time on single notes and or chords. :)
You saw my other answer on Facebook.
Think of articulation as a way to separate notes, to disconnect them into separate "articles."
Think of phrasing as flowing notes together into phrases and even sentences.
What kind of texture do you want to create, smooth or rough, subtle or emphatic? Choosing among those characteristics in any given situation will guide you in your choice of articulations.
Articulation happens naturally when you strike a piano key or pluck a guitar string. Or when you change breath direction when playing harmonica.
The only time you truly need to articulate a harmonica note is when you repeat a note. You can do this by stopping the breath flow from your lungs (inefficient) or by momentarily interrupting an ongoing flow with your throat or tongue (efficient).
When you play single notes without your tongue on the harp, you can use the "t" articuation. (The Tah, toe, too syllables are just learning fictions that all amount to the ame thing: interrupting the flow of breath by touching the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth.) This can be coupled with a secondary articulation. Try saying "diddle, diddle diddle, diddle" and then use that same tongue action while playing, say, Draw 4, and you'll hear how you get two articulations from on "T" touch. (T and D are the same thing, the only difference being that T is unvoiced and D is voiced.)
When you tongue block, T becomes unavailable, but K remains available, along with what I call Tongued P, where you close off the opening between the edge of your tongue and the corner of your mouth. Throat articulation, the glottal stop, also remains available.
Thanks, this info helps define for me a context for using (seperate or accenting notes) or not using (smooth phrasing or fast runs) articulation. Its nice change from initally doing it all the time in beginning lessons.
Articulation can be counterproductive when first learning harmonica, as you need to hear the results of your physical moves by breathing through all hole changes. That way you develop muscle memory via your ears.
I saw your posts at the 2 harmonica sites. Thanks.