Do you tip face downward OR other chromatic tone tips?
Wed, 04/22/2020 - 08:58
I've been playing cromatic for a couple weeks, diatonic for longer and trombone for 7 years.
Do you tip the face of the harmonica down 30-45 degrees like David B recommends on the diatonic?
Any other tone tips?
I've been try to play exclusively tongue block on my diatonic but I play my chromatic about 50/50 pucker or tongue block so far. If I tongue block the diatonic, do you recommend tonge blocking the chromatic. I'm still adjusting to the bigger month required to cover 4 holes on the chromatic.
Thanks, Doug
There is no point in tipping the harmonica up or down. It lengthens air travel and creates potential choke points in the air flow due to added lip shaping. (Sorry, I disgree with David on this).
I tongue block on both instruments, and also use pucker when it offers something I can't do with tongue blocking (such as rapid double tongueing), or when I need a three-point embouchure for rapid wide leaps. A single-point embouchure is where you use a single mouth opening, such as the opening on the right side of your tongue, left side of your tongue, or pucker, sort of like playing the piano with one finger. You can combine them for a two- or three-point embouchure.
True, the spread (the row of holes covered by your lips) to cover four or five holes is wider on the chromatic. It took me years until I could cover a five-hole spread to play octaves. Start with what you're comfortable with, get to where you can do it reliably, and spread out from there.