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David's Tip of the Day: Play Blow Notes Softer?

David Barrett Admin's picture

A comment I commonly give students after they play a passage for me is to play their blow notes softer... especially the lower three holes (they're more sensitive to higher pressures). We play so many draw notes in blues that when a blow note comes along, our bodies use that blow note as an air dump, and the tone quality of our blow notes suffer. So, if you listen back to yourself on recording (you record yourself for personal critique, right?) and notice a more airy, flat tone, make a point to play your blow notes 20% softer.