tongue blocking, all the time ?
Hi David,
I switched from lip pursing to tongue blocking as I started Level 1. That was more than one year ago. I would say that I now tongue block all the time.
Nevertheless, is there a point to tongue block all the time ? Charlie McCoy in the interview section says he can't tell which one he uses because he does the two without thinking about it (if I recall correctly).
Sometimes, things seem indeed easier with lip pursing. For example a strong attack of the note in the high end of the harmonica to get a bend on a blow note seems to be easier in lip pursing as the tongue can be used closer to the reed.
Now my questions :
-Are we to ban lip pursing ?
-If not, how to wisely choose between the two embouchures and when ?
-Is there a risk to end confused between the two ? (you once quoted a guy saying that the key to his success was doing the things the same way)
Thanks for your help.
Bod
Hello Bod. You will use a tongue block as your primary embouchure, so there is no need to learn to pucker right now. Tongue blocking can do everything that pucker can do, except for double and triple tonguing articulations. This is just one technique of many, so tongue blocking is focused upon and down the road to learn the Jr Wells Udl Ladl Ladl lick in "Messin' with the Kid" (at :44) can come down the road.
- No, not ban... there's just not much reason to learn it
- You'll only need it for articulative licks like that Jr Wells lick I mentioned
- It's best to focus on TB, then explore pucker down the road.
Simply put, TB offers sounds used my blues players that can only be done in a TB. The slaps, pulls, flutters, octaves, etc. that you're studying can only be done in a TB. All the other techniques (single notes, bending, vibrato, etc.), of which can be done in TB or pucker, it makes sense to stay in TB so you don't have to switch.