Tongue Blocking Question
All,
For tongue blocking I like the approach as decribed and pictured in this link:
http://www.angelfire.com/music/HarpOn/playing.html
Basically the tip of my tongue in two holes to the left if the single note I want to sound. David's first lesson made it sound like the tongue should be below the holes/comb. I like the tip in a hole as it allows me to know where
Which is the correct way?
A historical note: The advice on HarpOn to use the tip of your tongue is partly based on the writing of classical chromatic virtuoso Tommy Reilly. However, Reilly's father, Captain James Reilly, also write a book (the one I learned from) and taught the tongue-pointed-under method.
It seems having my tongue under makes it hard to have a frame of reference for where I am. im offon my notes using that method. Whereas when using the holes I know exactly where I am hit the notes correctly much more often
Ok I got it now. When David stated the tip of the tongue I didn't understand that the top of the tongue curled up to do the blocking. This works well and I can see where slides would work better.
I'm using the posts between holes as my guide posts and works good as well.
Great that you're starting to get the hang of it, Buckeye!
I know that some players use the "braille" method of touching the holes to know how may holes they're blocking - if they're blocking two holes, they want to feel and detect two holes with their tongues.
I've never done that. Instead I correlate the overall sensation of my tongue lips, teeth, etc., with the sound produced. If I find that I can get, say a four-hole spread with a split, I don't focus on the feel of touching and blocking two holes. Instead, I correlate the pjysical sensations in my mouth to the sound of that split, and remember what that configuration feels like.
Not saying that either method is better. Just that there's more than one way to approach sizing and placing your block.
Pressing the tip of your tongue into the holes is a direct approach but it can potentially cause problems:
-- If you press your tongue too hard into the holes, the hole dividers can abrade your tongue
-- On the chromatic, the slide can slice your tongue if you poke it inside the holes.
-- Your tongue can prevent you from moving to another place on the harmonica if it's pressed too hard against the holes.
By contrast, tucking the tip of your tongue slightly under, and then using the broad, moist surface of your tongue on the holes gives you an easy sliding surface, and a seal with no pressure - and no friction when you slide the harp.
So which way do I point my tongue? Up, straight ahead, and down.
-- For one-hole blocks, I point the tip of my tongue upward and use the underside to block a single hole. For me, that's how I can make a narrow block.
-- For wide blocks of three or more holes, I point my tongue down and use the broad top surface.
-- For two-hole blocks, I sometimes use the surface of my tongue, pointing the tip down, or I'll use the top pointed straight ahead.
Experiment and find what works for you.