When to slide into notes
Sat, 10/10/2015 - 23:10
Hi Dave
I am a bit confused as usual. Hope you can help.
I have recently watched one of the student study videos (can't remember which one) in which you where explaining that you recommend sliding between adjacent holes if two or more notes in a run are either blow or draw. I think you said that this is more or less a standard rule. So for example in the 4th chorus of Feelin' for the Blues is it best to dip the 3 draw and slide into the 4 draw, similarly with the triplets and the 3,4,5+,6+,5+,4.4',3,2 sequence?
Thanks.
Best wishes
Morning bordercollie. This comment is specifically about breathing (we always slide as we play the harmonica, unless there's a jump to another hole, though we still tend to keep contact with the face of the harmonica, so even then we commonly slide). When playing adjacent blows or draws you just keep breathing... not stopping your breath for each hole, unless you prefer the sound of more staccato notes. If you do want a more staccato sound, you can use a continuous breath and separate the air with an articulation like KA, or use separate breaths, one for each note (music must not be too fast for this, articulations are faster).