Question about tongue blocking! (specifically covering 4 holes)
Hello David, great new site! I've been playing harmonica for about 8 months and have progressed well and am able to do everything tongue blocking (bends, overblows, blow-bends, octaves, slaps, etc.) BUT I am now trying to adjust my technique to cover 4 holes all the time and it seems VERY awkward. I pucker the 1 hole and tongue block 2 hole on up. When I play 2, I block the 1 hole, when I play 3 I block the 1 and 2 hole, but then I seem to transition to blocking the 2 and 3 only (or only 2 holes on the right) when I play 4 and above. Is covering 4 holes necessary for everything or only for tongue block octave leaps? It doesn't seem comfortable and I simply cannot block 3 holes while playing 1. I can play octave fine, but when I play a single note my mouth seems to get smaller naturally and feels very stretched when I try to block many holes. Any tips on if I just need to figure it out, or for some players is it just right to only block 2 holes (covering 3) instead of 3 (covering 4)? Thanks for any help!
Those are helpful tips. I finally got it and realized how SMALL the movements are.
1st I started with a 1-4 octave then just SLIGHTLY shifted my tongue to the left to play JUST the 4 blow. Then SLIGHTLY moved it to the right to play the 1 blow. I noticed that I needed to put the harmonica SLIGHTLY more into my mouth to block out 3 holes. The problem I was having was I was moving my JAW. Is it right that it is simply a TONGUE movement? I assume it is wrong to move the jaw. I can see how when one gets this down how efficient it will be but it is a big adjustment to make such small movements.
You're getting it... keep experimenting with it. Try not to move your jaw for this, but jaw movement in general is not bad, especially as you move one hole to the left or right.
Michael,
Please pass on any hints as to how in 8 months you have been able to get the hang of bends, overblows, blow bends, etc. tongue blocking.
Dear All
I am the opposite, I covered more than 4 holes, in ur videos, 4 switch 1 (i can do this) 5 switch 2 (i play 5 but switch still is 1) I am having really hard time on covering 4 holes. I can cover 6 or 7 holes (6 switch to 1) even this is easier than from 5 switch 2. I am a beginner on site for little bit over a month not practice everyday but trying to practice more. I got really frustrated on this tongue switching.
If you're covering more than 4 holes, you might try this exercise to get familliar with smaller hole openings.
Start by playing Hole 4 with a pucker - no tongue on the harp.
Now, let your lips open up as you move the harmonica slightly farther into your mouth so that you're sounding two holes (coudl be 3 and 4, or it could be 4 and 5). Stay with 2 holes for awhile. Play both inhaled and exhaled notes.
Now, move from having two holes in your mouth to three. Again, stay with that for awhile and play both inhaled and exhaled sounds.
Now move from three holes in your mouth to four holes. Hang out there, breaht in and out, etc.
Finally, move from four holes to five - your present familiar habit and again spend some time with it.
Then, Move from five holes back to four, to three, to two, and to one hole in your mouth.
Do the exercise nabove a few times until it feels comfortable.
Then start over with one hole, but when you get to three holes, add your tongue. As you move through the three, four, and five hole sizes, do the following with each size:
Play a single note out of the right corner, and then out of the left by sliding your tongue.
Play a rake - moving the tongue rpaidly fro side to side, oncovering different combinations of holes.
Play a hammer - hammering the tongue rapidly on and off the holes, with the right corner always sounding (Dave calls this a flutter).
From these basic moves at each hole size you can mvoe on to other uses of tongue blocking - slaps, pull-offs, shimmers, splits, etc.
Good question. Having your lips over four holes is more efficient. By being over four holes, to make a single note an octave, just takes the slightest movement of the tongue to the right. To jump from hole 4 to 1 (tongue switching), you just move your tongue a little more to the right. Also, the chords that support your slaps, pulls, flutters, side-flutters, etc., have a bigger sound. Also, single notes will be a “little” warmer as your mouth opens and your resonant cavity gets a little larger.
Is it hugely important now… no… as you play my study songs, especially “Blues for Paul delay,” you’ll find your body will start to open your embouchure anyway… our body is very good at adapting to what’s easier/more efficient… and as you play octaves midstream in your playing, your body will learn to open up.
Some helpful tips… 1) use more of the top of the tongue and bring the harmonica deeper in your mouth 2) try playing blues chromatic… the large tongue block embouchures required will make your diatonic feel like a small toy, making it easy to open wider!