Viewing and Understanding Which Hand, Side Face/Tongue Position
I am new to your site and I am enjoying what you have created for us.
I am elderly and I am having a small problem with understanding
1. positioning of the hold of the Harmonica, which side of face would the Harmonica be laying across and
2. the orientation of what you mean with where the tongue is pointing for tongue blocking. Is it moving the tip or the base of the tongue which would move the front part of the tongue.
I am holding the harmonica in my left hand as was instructed in your earlier lessons and I can isolate one hole with correct blocking.
I believe you use your right hand.
If I need to tongue block the holes on the left side of the harmonica, ( you may have to refresh my memory on which ones), I make sure that I have the left side of the harmonica inside my left lip.
I am not trying to position my tongue aiming any position other than trying to sound the note holding the harmonica in my left hand and as mentioned tucked inside my left cheek. As I look out straight ahead the harmonica' front end is aiming between the 2 and 3 on a clock face. I play holes 1-3 three with this technique. I am not trying to work with where my tongue if facing
Now, when you talk about where the tongue is facing and having to move it, when you say move the tongue to the left is that the base of the tongue moving left, which would actually have the tip of the tongue pointing let's say to 1 oclock versus straight ahead at noon.
I am getting confused with watching you face on in your videos and trying then to reinterpret where I should be.
It's sounds easy but it's not.
If you could give me a quick checkpoints to the tongue position and what you mean to where the tongue tip should be aiming away from the player and what hand should we use for a default for initial holding of the harp.
I believe that the default position is in the left hand and have the harmonica resting on the right cheek.
I could be wrong. Little confused here.
Sure... here you go.
- Hold the harmonica with your left hand... if you introduce the right hand, it's in support of the left (Reference the video lesson Cupping & Hand Effects as well)
- When tongue blocking, your goal is to have your lips around 4 holes... dead center... 12 o' clock on your face. Let's use holes 1 through 4 as reference. To achieve your single note, stick your tongue out to block holes 1 through 3... which would point your tongue around 1 o' clock. I recommend you use the blade of the tongue, which is on top, slightly behind the tip of your tongue.
- Note on the Lower Holes: To play hole 3, your tongue centers on hole 1, covering holes 1 and 2 and some of the wood to the left of hole 1. To play hole 2, narrow your mouth slightly and center your tongue on the wood to the left of hole 1, covering hole 1 and the wood to the left of hole 1. To play hole 1, your mouth is commonly over holes 1 through 3, covering holes 2 and 3 with your tongue.