Blocking of harmonica with saliva
Tue, 03/13/2012 - 05:31
Hi
I don't know if there is an answer to this one but I will ask anyway.
One cause of frustration for me is guming up the harmonica with saliva. This is mainly a problem using the tongue block method. It isn't really a problem when using the pucker method. I have been keeping my head up as suggested by Dave Barrett but it is still a problem. I can hardly get through a chorus without having to tap the saliva out, sometimes not even that. Is it something that will improve as I become more competent and relaxed or are there people out there that produce so much saliva that tongue blocking isn't viable.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sat, 03/17/2012 - 09:44
#2
Thanks John. Your reply gives
Thanks John. Your reply gives me a lot of hope that I can control/ overcome problem eventually.
I don't think it should worry you to much... How long have you been blocking for?
I've been using blocking since joining and I spent a few years before on and off as a pucker player. And at first I had trouble with saliva and sometimes I still do. Being a over a year in now some things on the problem have came to light for me anyway. I think that if you come from the pucker world blocking feels wetter and it is! And being from the nice and dry pucker world it seems to stand out more to you. I don't think physically you get dryer as you block more but I became alot more proficient at saliva control and it no longer bothers me to much.
With all this said, I also believe that as you learn the lesson songs you learn when swallow just like you do as when to breathe and sometimes these are the two most important things to me when getting a solo off pat.