The Strut
Hello David,
I am following your lessons with Ryan Walker on the Strut, chorus 1. You both sound so good on this. I can't even begin to play this with tongue blocking. Are you and Ryan using a tongue blocking embouchure?
Hello again David,
It seems hard to believe that you and Ryan can play the Strut with a TB embouture and make it sound so good. But hearing is believing.
So, on chorus 1, are you playing all of the notes out of the right side of your mouth or do you switch for holes 1 and 2?
I will have to stick with playing out of the right side only for now; it's hard enough as it is. I can do the slaps and pulls and lifts, of course, with TB, but the TB bending is coming very slowly, also tone. I will send in a recording for evaluation soon.
I have to say that knowing that you and Ryan were TB'ing The Strut has pushed me over the edge. For the first time I can really see the value of making this switch to making the TB embouchure my preferred method.
I will concentrate on Bending Exercises 1-4, and on the Tongue Agility Exercise for now. and in addition I can see that it will be wise to try to do all that I can pucker with the TB embouchure as well.
I know you have said to just keep at it, but one more time .... any specific advice?
A TB Convert,
Hank
Hello Hank. Keep your tongue to the left for holes 2 through 10... the only common time to tongue switch is hole 1, though you can pucker that if you wish. Keep at it, you will get it... it's the way that most harmonica players play... Little Walter, Big Walter, John Lee Williamson, Rice Miller, James Cotton, George Smith, and the list goes on, were all full-time tongue blockers.
If it benefits your practice routine, you can order and wear a tee shirt from Dennis Gruenling with a harp on the front with the phrase, "If you ain't Blockin' it ... you ain't Rockin' it!"
Every little bit helps!
(And David might not tell you this, but from my own experience, one day you'll hit and hold a difficult bend perfectly. And then spend the next month or more of your practice sessions asking yourself, "Now ... how in the heck did I DO that?!?")
Hello mtnhank. We are. You'll get it, it just takes practice over time.