Levels of achievement L1 difficulties

Hi all,

Apologies if this has been adderssed in a different thread?

I have just passed my 4th week since discovering this fantastic site and learning the blues harmonica under David's superb instruction. It all was going well, I have been systematically working my way through "Walk With Me" and can do it by memory and in reasonable time to the jam track. I then progressed to the solo harp section which was going well until I returned to the study song to practice it but trying to implement Joe Filisko's breathing techniques and it has all gone awry. I can barely get a note on the 3 draw without bending it, the same for the 8 draw. I am aware that my tongue is bunched up in my mouth but the only way I can play a clean note now is to allow air in either through the side of my mouth or through my nose (which I might add I am trying very very hard to avoid doing).

I am assuming that this is quite normal to go through this and is probably because I am trying to get the technique correct rather than simply make a sound?

I have gone back to basics, slowed right down and am focussing on getting the song right before moving on to the solo harp section.

It'd be interesting to hear if most other people go through this?