Challenge on 1 Draw Tongue Block
Sat, 07/04/2026 - 06:52
Hi David, I wanted to see if you could give some tips on this. I'd like to learn to draw the 1 hole without puckering, but when I tongue block it, it always bends flat.
I'm trying to relax my tongue as best I can (not sure how succesful I am). I am making sure there is full clearance on the hole. Also, when I breathe through my nose when drawing, it sounds cleanly. As soon as I close my nose, it bends and chokes.
Any help is appreciated!
Sat, 07/04/2026 - 10:19
#2
Awesome, thanks for the
Awesome, thanks for the confirmation. I will start doing those excersizes to straighten it out.
Hello Kyle. You're correct, you're unintentionally bending the 1 draw, this is why when opening your nose the issue is fixed (you can't bend with the nasal cavity open). Work on lowering the middle/back of your tongue (it's raised right now). The challenge is confirming that your tongue is lowered, though if you're bending, you know it's raised. One thing you can try is to play your 1 draw...pull the harmonica out of your mouth, while keeping everything the same with your embouchure (mouth and tongue position)...in front of a mirror, open your mouth more to see where your tongue is...maybe you'll see that your tongue raised in the back. You can also just look in a mirror with your mouth open, practicing raising and lowering your tongue in the front, the middle, the back...this way you can visually confirm what you're feeling and seeing. Hopefully these exercises are helpful for you.