What makes a good shake?
I am finding the shake to be a weak point in my technique. Looking for tips to improve it. I find that when it does go well for me, it's almost as if my lips are sticking to the harp a bit, but if I do the shake at the end of a longer lick, the harp is pretty slick, and the shake often sounds...wan, for lack of a better term.
thanks, I'll try it!
The expressive potential of shakes has several components, and it's best to have the harmonica free to move in your lips to be able to untilize and combine them. They include:
- Speed of the shake (how quickly the two notes alternate)
- tone color (bright to dark spectrum)
- Bending during the shake
- Wet or dry - whether the two note mix and sound at the same time or not, and to what degree
I'm wondering why your shake would sound, as you put it, wan. Is it breathy die to an incomplete seal between harmonica and lips during a fast passage with successive hole changes? If so, that's a matter of getting a good seal without pressure, so that the harmonica can glide from hole to hole without losing the seal.
MattTheHall:
Did I use enough apostrophes in that subject line?
As alway, Winslow goes really deep, but with clarity, precision and conciseness.
One question for everyone (including Winslow): Do you shake with your head, your hands, or a little of both?
I'm primarily a head-shaker. Seems more relaxed than having to move my arms. But I guess I do a little of both. I've watched a lot of players who seem to use a combination. But I assume one risk of the combination is that if you coordinate the head and the hands in just the right (actually wrong) way, you end up negating the shake entirely.
I use hands mainly, occasionally a little head.
But I also use what Brendan Power calls a jaw flick, where hands and (most of the) head stay put and the jaw moves from side to side. Not for everyone, especially those with TMJ.
Much belated reply , folks (trying to figure out how to get a email notifications on replies to thead, but anyways)...
I seem to do better if I use one or the other, but not both? As for the jaw flick thing, I read about this from Powers, but didn't use it until recently, when I started accidentally using it for a John Popper song I am learning.
Best way to build shake technique is to start slow. Almost slow motion. Start on the lower hole, and as you do the shake, take it slowly and listen to your tone, pitch and breathing. Increase speed gradually; however, even some shakes by great performers are slower than you think they are. So listen critically.