U-Blocking Advanced Beginner
I just joined your site and finished Lesson 1 - Blues Harmonica Fundamentals. I consider myself an advanced beginner in that I know some songs, I can do all the bends on the draw holes, etc... I have always u-blocked, and both tongue blocking and puckering seem so foreign to me. I am not adverse to learning tongue blocking as it will give me the opportunity to do things I otherwise couldn't, but I have a few questions.
Should I buckle down and learn tongue blocking and then go from there or should I learn tongue blocking while I use u-blocking to learn other things on the site?
Do I need to change to tongue blocking as my primary method or can I continue to u-block and go to tongue blocking when I need to for certain techniques?
Are there any well known u-blocking harmonica players?
Thanks for such a great site, I am excited to dive in!
Scott
Hi David,
You hit the nail on the head. Sometimes when I move my tongue to the left to tongue block I end up u-blocking the note in the middle at an angle, lol!
It's a bit depressing because I feel like I am starting from scratch again but I assume once I get the handle on the tongue block I should be back in business and it will be a much shorter climb back up to where I am now with u-blocking.
I am going to buckle down and see if i can switch. Thanks for the advice and support!
Scott
Good for you... it's a challenge, but you'll get it. It will take about two months before it's natural, but it pays off big time to do it now.
Once you start to tongue block, you'll start hearing things you never noticed before in the playing of the blues greats.
So along with working on your TB, notice the sounds you're making and then listen for them in LW, BW, SB1 and 2, and so on. It'll give you motivation and inspiration to continue.
Thank you for all of your help. Ok. I am unsure what you mean with your response here, David to Scott's entry.
"Make sure that your tongue is staying to the left while tongue blocking... taking it off every now and again to make sure that the sounding notes are lower. "
If I have my entire tongue top to block the hole on the right, wouldn't the note be higher?
I am still having one heck of a time getting to stop having the note sound in the middle of the tongue.
My tongue does not go into a convex shape. I am getting close but no cigar. Is it possible for me to have the tongue to the left of the note that I want to sound, but just use the top right of the tongue to block. I am trying to find a way to null out the cleavage part of the tongue.
I am glad that I am not the only one with this problem. Glad probably is not the best choice of words.
Will
When you're in a standard tongue block you block the three holes to the left (assuming we're speaking of playing the 4th hole). When your tongue is on, it sounds the 4th hole. When your tongue is off it allows the left holes to sound as well, so holes 1 through 4.
When someone is U-blocking, and is unaware of it, the way that students can check is when they play a 4, and they take their tongue off, the 3 sounds to the left, AND the 5 to the right along with the 4. So when I said, "taking it off every now and again to make sure that the sounding notes are lower," I am referring to only hearing the holes to the left when the tongue is off... if you hear a note to the right of your intended note as well, then you're U-blocking.
Our tongues are naturally convex... the key is not to change this when placing it on the harmonica.
When you state, "Is it possible for me to have the tongue to the left of the note that I want to sound, but just use the top right of the tongue to block," yes, this is what you want to do, this is a standard tongue block.
Keep diggin', you'll get it with time.
I hope this helps this gentleman too. Ok. You are correct. I am checking with the Bendometer and when I try getting the top right of my tongue to block I still hear note 5 to sound after taking my tongue off.
Backing up a little, David, when you said in your first paragraph about hearing the chord 1 2 3 4 sound as well. I am not hearing or seeing in the Bendometer the full chord.
I am trying to get the top right of my tongue to block, but I can't do this and sound the entire chord.
The placement to where you want me to block has to be correct. I find the harp goes towards my right cheek somewhat. I do notice if I do that it makes the entire chord on the right not to sound when lifting my tongue off of the harp.
Should I go back to basics and have everything squared up in front of me as if I had one of the Harp holders that holds the harp in front of me?
Should I forget about having the harp on to my right cheek. I then will have to really stretch at that point to have the top right of my tongue to block. I can do it.
I am so grateful for your guidance.
Most players who play amplified have the right side of the harp closer to their right cheek in order to cover the open holes for a bigger amplified sound... so that's not a problem generally speaking. If you're using a lot of the right-side of the tongue... it can be. It would be a good idea to square everything up for practice. Open your mouth... place the harmonica in your mouth where you're playing holes 1 through 4... play the chord to the hear the big sound... slowly place your tongue on the harmonica, with a slight direction to the left (around 11 o'clock) to cover holes 1-3... use a light touch... use a little bit more of the top of the tongue to cover all three holes if you're not able to cover them with just the tip.
Hey Scott, I am glady that you are on board. I too am struggling with the U Block. I call it a Cleavage Block. Ha.
Please, if you can, could you contact me at billyedmartin@gmail.com?
I would like to team up with you on tackling the U Block.
Thank you so much for your request to David. He is a great teacher and a kind man.
Will
Hello Scott. Though it IS better to stay in a tongue block all of the time, you can continue U-Blocking and add tongue blocking sounds (slaps, pulls, octaves,etc.) to your sound as you go. Do keep in mind that U-blockers traditionally have a tough time learning how to tongue block, due to the fact that they use their tongue with a concave shape, and tongue blocking requires a convex shape. Make sure that your tongue is staying to the left while tongue blocking... taking it off every now and again to make sure that the sounding notes are lower.
The real straight forward answer is to not U-bock anymore... use tongue blocking all of the time. With that said, most students are not patient enough to make the change now... a change that will save time and grief down the road. It's really up to you... do what seems right for you now... and have fun with the harmonica of course.
Norton Buffalo was a U-blocker.
P.S., there's a Tip of the Day that I wrote that talks in-depth about the pros and cons of U-blocking.