Tongue Blocking...Help!
I'm having a really hard time tongue blocking - so hard that I put the harmonica down for a week. I read some people block with the tip of the tongue. Others block with the side. Others with the top. Just trying to hit one clean note tires out my tongue. I don't seem to be able to hit a note without another bleeding in. When I do hit one, I definitely don't get the next one I go to. I need some advice.
'm writing a longer reply that I'll post later, but just to clarify the "edge" thing:
The side edge of your tongue blocks the corner of your mouth (where upper and lower lips meet).
The side edge of your tongue does *not* block the holes. Playing that way can prevent you from employing some of the most important tongue blocking techniques.
Creating an opening, Part 1
Making the basic “Paa” sound
1) Try saying "PaaaPaaPaa."
Note 1: Each "P" sound happens when you close your lips as you exhale. You nose also closes off (If it doesn't close, you say "MaaMaa" instead of "PaaPaa" - perhaps Ma smells nicer than Pa does.)
2) After each "P" sound you open your lips slightly. You can also lower your jaw as you open your lips, but you don't really need to - the difference between closed lips ("P") and open lips ("aa") is very slight.
Creating an opening, Part 2
Now try breathing through an opening in the right corner of your mouth.
1) Inhale - take a fairly big breath.
2) Keep your nose closed.
3) Keep your lips together and start to exhale gently. You cheeks and lips will fill with air and bulge outward.
4) Keeping your lips together, let some air leak out of the right corner of your mouth.
At first, your cheeks and lips will still bulge out.
5) Keep the leakage confined to the right corner, but try to make the opening bigger, so that air can flow through the right-side opening without pressure. When this happens, your cheeks and lips should deflate.
6) Now try inhaling through the opening you’ve created in the right corner of your mouth. Again, keep the opening just big enough so that air can flow freely without affecting your lips or cheeks.
Creating an opening, Part 3
Now it’s time to get your tongue involved.
1) Close your mouth so that your lips are gently sealed along their length.
2) Drop your jaw slightly to leave a space between your upper and lower teeth.
3) Slip the tip of your tongue between your lips, just past your teeth.
4) Pay attention to the sensation of the side edges of your tongue touching the right and left corners of your mouth, where the e upper and lower lips meet.
5) Pay attention to the sensation of the top and bottom surface of your tongue touching your upper and lower lips.
At this point, your lips should not break the airtight seal of your lips. Remember, no pressure is required for this, only contact.
6) Start to exhale gently, maintaining the airtight seal. Feel your lips and cheeks bulging slightly.
7) Now, let air start to leak out of the right corner. DO NOT move your tongue – let the lips do the work.
8) Make the opening big enough to let air pass freely between the right edge of your tongue and the right corner of your mouth, without pressure and without bulging the cheeks or lips.
9) Try Step 8 inhaling instead of exhaling, again, letting air pass freely.
Creating an opening, Part 4
Now it’s time to add the harmonica.
Start with Step 8 of Part 3.
1) Lower you jaw so that a space is created between the top surface of your tongue and your upper lip.
2) Breathe through this space, and feel the air moving past your upper lip and the top surface of your tongue.
3) Also feel your lower lip touching the bottom surface of your tongue, and the left corner of your mouth touching the left side edge of your tongue.
4) Raise the harmonica to your face.
5) Making sure that your jaw is lowered enough, place the lower cover of the harmonica on your lower lip, so that the tip o your tongue touches the mouthpiece, just below the bottom of the holes.
6) Let you upper lips drop onto the upper cover of the harmonica. Feel the sensation of the lips contacting the harmonica along the length of both lips and at both corners.
7) Inhale or exhale.
At this point, you’ll sound all the holes in your mouth because your tongue is not yet engaged to block any holes.
8) Keeping the tip of your tongue just below the holes, press your tongue forward gently so that the top surface of your tongue blocks the holes.
9) Check that you do not feel the right edge of your tongue touching the right corner of your mouth. You need an opening to let air through.
10) Inhale or exhale. Try for a clear note with easy flowing air.
At this point you may get more than one hole sounding. If you do, then:
11) Slide the harmonica slightly to the right or left in your mouth to make sure that you’re centered on a single hole. If this doesn’t work, try letting the right corner of your mouth move closer to the right edge of your tongue to make the opening small enough to cover a single hole.
Putting your tongue on the holes of the harmonica, and then moving the harmonica, can feel as if you're kissing a cheese grater.
To avoid this,
1) Don't press your tongue hard into the mouthpiece. Let contact and moisture do the work.
2) Press the top surface of your tongue onto the holes, note the side or tip. The top surface is big, moist, and pliable, and has a much easier time of sealing the holes without pressure for that reason.
I'm going to try these after work this evening!
Thank you!
Picture a tube in the side of your mouth and you blowing / drawing through it.....in other words concentrate on formiong a tube between your tongue and cheek.....keep trying and don't give up its easy once you get it!!
Block with the top edge of your tongue... see the lessons by David on the correct positioning of the harp in your mouth.