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Forums :: Ask Instructor David Barrett

Bending Study 1 Other Mouth Diagrams For 3,2 and 1

2 replies [Last post]
Fri, 11/16/2012 - 05:20
wmartin
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Joined: 10/13/2012

Dave, you have supplied great study material. I am looking at Bending Study 1 .pdf and noticed that you did not include Mouth Diagrams for holes 3, 2 and 1.

What would be the location sounds for these. I am verifying what I have been doing with the K spot and the closing down of the area of the tongue to the relationship to the top of my mouth.

Do you have another page for this .pdf for the lower holes?

Also, do these side view diagrams accurately show the anchoring or placement of the tongue behind the teeth?

*********************************************************
In a past response to me response named -> Bending Using Tongue Position Versus Throat

You say

"You can experiment with your tongue location in front of the mirror (harp out of mouth) with placing your tongue BEHIND YOUR LOWER SET OF TEETH (mimicking that you're tongue blocking on the harmonica). Take a look at Ryan Walker's newest contributor submission, the video where we speak of The Strut. In this video we cover the same conversation."

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You might have answered this to me in a different way, so I excuse the additional question.

I know you use the blade and I am doing so too.

Where would YOUR tongue be in relationship to the top of your bottom front teeth when you put the harmonica in your mouth?

Do you place the tip of your tongue INSIDE your mouth and still inside the bottom front teeth and keep it there during blocking and bending?

I have been using the stick the tongue out position which would place my tongue more forward out of my mouth VERSUS inside the mouth.

All this is very interesting. I have made huge progress, but I fall back a little. It is all related to the tongue..

Thank you for your help.

Will

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Fri, 11/16/2012 - 14:17
#1
David Barrett
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Joined: 12/20/2009
Answer

Glad you're enjoying the material. No, there are no other visuals. The concept is that when you're bending a higher reed on the harmonica that you use slightly more forward of your tongue ("sh"), more forward in the mouth. When you're bending a lower reed on the harmonica you use slightly further back of your tongue ("Koo"), farther back in the mouth. In regards to the tip of the tongue... I don't think about the tip of my tongue... it's on the harmonica.

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Sat, 11/17/2012 - 04:01
#2
wmartin
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Level 1
Joined: 10/13/2012
Tongue Reply From David

All of it makes sense now. It is hard to believe all of the information that you have on your website. You have really put out here!

Thank you again.

Will

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