Getting out of breath with ex. 2.1 from Solo Harmonica 2
I'm having trouble with example 2.1 from solo harmonica 2 for the first 4 measures. All those draw slaps and pulls with just one single blow slap in the middle are making me feel like i'm a balloon! It's really uncomfortable to play this example, what I'm probably doing wrong?
Thanks, I'll watch it!
In the last few weeks, I started to realize how the nose is important, especially the muscle that we use internally to stop breathing through it. I was having a really hard time with draw 2 (as every beginner) and I realized that the problem wasn't in my embouchure, but in my nose! I was forcing the before mentioned muscle too hard and, I don't know why, if you do this it completely destroys your tone for draw 2. I found out this was the problem by playing draw 2 with all my face muscles relaxed and closing my nose by pinching it with my fingers, it was an instant good tone draw 2! Since then I know how important is the nose!
Great observation... thank you for sharing.
Hello tandeitnik. Yes, this exercise really sucks a lot of air in. First, check that your nose is closed for the draw notes (check it, don't assume). Second, use your nose (open it) to dump air on that one blow note (5+ in this case). I have a quick lesson on this here https://www.bluesharmonica.com/faq, with the video titled "I run out of breath so easily!"