TB centre of tongue gap
Hi David
Today I got a Filisko tongue block trainer and saw that I am not using my tongue as you do. I am blocking holes to either side of the hole I am playing. I suppose with a sort of u shaped tongue. To my ear this gives quite a nice dirty sound to a four slap for instance with 5 sounding initially but it explains my poor and hissy bent tone as I think i start to cover some of the hole.
Is this a recognised form of tongue blocking with advantages and disadvanatges or is it an abberration all of my own?
I think it's going to take some effort to change my ingrained habit. Do you have any tips other than perseverance.
Regards
Chas
After a couple of hours struggle I think it may not be as hard to change as I thought. At first it seemed as if what happened between me imsgining the note and playing it was a black box that I had little access to. I tried to move my tongue to the left and play from the right side of it but when I took the harp out of my mouth the tongue was centred on the note.. Now after practicing on the trainer and then trying the harp i seem to be getting there but it requires extreme concentration. I'd still welcome any help/tips but I'm not as daunted by the task ahead of me as I was. The tongue trainer is such an obvious idea - once someone really clever has thought it up.
Good morning Chas. It sounds like you are on the right track, and the Filisko Tongue Block Trainer is the correct tool for the job. Here's an article I wrote about the U-block http://www.bluesharmonica.com/u_blocking_defined
Let me know if you have any further questions.
After a couple of hours struggle I think it may not be as hard to change as I thought. At first it seemed as if what happened between me imsgining the note and playing it was a black box that I had little access to. I tried to move my tongue to the left and play from the right side of it but when I took the harp out of my mouth the tongue was centred on the note.. Now after practicing on the trainer and then trying the harp i seem to be getting there but it requires extreme concentration. I'd still welcome any help/tips but I'm not as daunted by the task ahead of me as I was. The tongue trainer is such an obvious idea - once someone really clever has thought it up.