Posted Mon, 04/20/2015 - 09:15 by David Barrett Admin
Start with a slap and continue to make the slapping motion with a fully supported airstream (not individual pumps of air like that of individual slaps).
TIPS:
Most importantly...
1) Keep your tongue to the left. The most common error is to allow the tongue to drift to the center, essentially causing the technique to turn into multiple pulls. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 04/15/2015 - 10:47 by David Barrett Admin
Here are some key benefits of using a light touch with your tongue on the face of the harmonica...
1) Holes to the right or left (depending on which tongue block technique you're performing) will not unintentionally be blocked by your tongue squishing into the holes. continue reading...
Posted Fri, 04/10/2015 - 09:52 by David Barrett Admin
When studying Little Walter's legendary blues harmonica instrumental "Roller Coaster," the key moment of discovery in being able to perform the song successfully was is using the lightest touch possible on the face of the harmonica (both the tongue and lips, but most importantly the tongue). This was key in being able to play at his speed and level of dexterity. Here are the negatives of pushing too hard when tongue blocking... continue reading...
Posted Thu, 04/09/2015 - 08:59 by David Barrett Admin
Yesterday I stated that your lips should be surrounding four holes. The purpose of this is as follows, with the more important reasons listed first...
1) You can play an octave very quickly with slight adjustment of the tongue (to the center, blocking two holes).
2) Your slaps, pulls, flutters and other techniques where the tongue is off of the harmonica have a much bigger sound, due to there being four holes sounding when the tongue is off instead of three. continue reading...
Posted Wed, 04/08/2015 - 10:01 by David Barrett Admin
Place your lips over a four-hole span, using a light touch on the face of the harmonica. Use the top of your tongue just past the tip (called the blade of the tongue) with a light enough touch that the convex shape of your tongue does not completely flatten on the face of the harmonica. Cover the left three holes with your tongue, leaving the right-most hole to sound a single note. Move the harmonica latterly—the focus is to generally move the harmonica, not the face or jaw.
Posted Mon, 12/08/2014 - 10:51 by David Barrett Admin
A reminder to all students that tremolos and flutters should not be locked to a specific rhythm. It's common to receive submissions where the student is playing all of these at the triplet rhythm (three pieces of the tremolo or flutter per beat). This is mechanical sounding... they should float. A general rule of the thumb is to have them be slightly faster than the triplet. This floating quality is what makes your music sound smooth, and when coupled with dynamics, emotional.
Posted Wed, 10/22/2014 - 09:57 by David Barrett Admin
It's common for players to use the tip of their tongue to block the two middles holes when performing an octave. Another option, one that I personally use, is to use the top of the tongue, just like you do for your other tongue blocking techniques (single notes, slaps, pulls, etc.) but just using an ultra-light touch so that the top convex shape of the tongue blocks the two middle holes, allowing air to flow on the left and right-hand side of the tongue. Tone is the same, but I'm able to be more relaxed an efficient in regards to moving from technique to technique. continue reading...
Posted Tue, 10/21/2014 - 08:50 by David Barrett Admin
I mention this often, because I mention this often in my private teaching and in your submissions on the site in regards to your tone. Let's focus on your mouth cavity... your tone chamber. If your tongue PUSHES on the face of the harmonica, not only does the tongue encroach into the hole(s) you're intending to play (narrowing it's passage and creating poor/bent tone) but the body of your tongue commonly comes with it, moving forward and commonly upwards in the mouth, robbing your tone chamber of volume... low/small volume equals thin, wimpy tone... high/large volume equals big tone. continue reading...
Posted Mon, 10/20/2014 - 08:47 by David Barrett Admin
Every now and again I'll have a poor student come in and their face is all contorted to the side when playing. I ask them to stick their tongue out with the harmonica still attached and I'll see that they're using the side of their tongue for the tongue block. They hear "block the holes to the left" and away their tongue goes, pointing far left in the mouth. The angle of the tongue on the harmonica should only be one click of the clock to the left... 11 o'clock. continue reading...