HighEnd Bending/Tongue Blocked
David, I have trying for thee longest time to Tongue block the high register of the harp and I have no problem with doing so except when I want to bend for expression, or for that matter, bend with any kind of just intonation. I am so used to pucker up there that to break the habit seems, at times, to be a long, long road. At times I can get the bend tongue blocked but most of the time, my tuner says I am not getting the desired note (when I am puckering I have no problem...tuners don't lie)
What is my next approach? At times, after visiting my favorite and essential portion of the site, the interview section, I resolve to the mind set that some of us just pucker up there. I don't want to resign to not giving this my best effort...Suggestions???
Thanks Much
Yes, most players that learn how to pucker bend on the high end do not add the high end tongue block bends when they learn to tongue block bend the other notes of the harmonica. My students that learn how to tongue block bend from the beginning of course learn how to tongue bend the blow bends and don't have as many issues as players like yourself and I. Many pros are the same way... pucker the blow bends (again, mostly because they learned that way and weren't willing to put the time into learning how to tongue block bend them).
It's been a long road for me as well. I can do it, but not very well on harmonicas above an A. I hate having to switch to pucker... it ruins the continuity of my runs. So... I keep at it. I have not personally devoted a lot of time to this practice and it's time for me to do so now... I'm ready for it.
Focus on using the very front of your tongue in the tongue block... keep the embouchure small... use low-tuned harps at first... walking up key by key until you get to your common harps. Best wishes on this... give it time.