Tip of the Day: Harmonica Curses #1 - Everything is Hidden

The bulk of technique performed on the harmonica is hidden from view. You can't see what I'm doing and I can't see what you're doing...YOU can't see what you're doing! The tongue is responsible for all good and evil on the harmonica. If your tone is thin... a note bends, squeals or stalls unintentionally... or a bend goes too far or not far enough... your tongue is in the wrong spot. If your tone is good and you're able to control bends at the correct pitch... your tongue is in the right spot. Get to know your tongue. Close your eyes and move your tongue inside your mouth, identifying where the back, middle and front of your tongue is. Identify where the different parts of your mouth are... feel with the tip, then the middle and then the back. Try bending and tongue block techniques... start to identify where the tongue is when you sound good and where it is when you sound bad. Use speech to identify locations within the mouth... sss, sh, ch, key, ku, ko, etc. Lastly... relax! A tense tongue is slow and is the cause of poor tone. Get to know your tongue.