draw on hole 1 no sound
Hi everyone
Im a beginner and have been picking up the lessons really quick (probably due to my previous failed attempts to learn the harmonica over the years) but recently I run into a road block. When trying to do chorus 2 on song 1 I noticed that I cant make a sound on hole 1 drawing. I have no problem with any other hole. I have two harmonicas, a special 20 from a few years ago and a brand new golden melody so I dont think its the harmonica. I assume it's my technique. Any tips?
edit: when I draw through the hole I can just hear the passing through and sometimes a faint struggling sound.
wow I when I asked the question I wasnt expecting the Winslow Yerxa to answer. What an honor sir.
As for the question... I know my lip position is correct and I have played the hole (blowing) in three different positions; tongue blocking, blocking hole 2 with my finger, and having the harp hang off my mouth.
--- a few moments later---
So after playing around I think its my tongue position as you said. I can get it to play a sound but it takes some effort, it also lags a little, and only when hanging it off my mouth when I take a big yawn like inhale. It sounds awful when tongue blocking like its struggling if I can even make a sound.
Im trying to force my tongue into different positions to try to get it right. Its tough but ill keep on practicing. Thank you so much now I can actually make a sound!
So after I was able to make a sound on one harmonica I took the brand new harmonica and was able to make the 1 draw sound with ease. Turns out it was a combination of technique and the harmonica.
gamma8gear: You've learned that, as always, Winslow has great and concise answers to nearly any sort of harmonica question. And in this case you've very quickly learned something that it can take some harp players years to fiigure out: The harmonica is just a tool that holds the reeds, but the actual tone, volume, shaping, dynamics and everything else that makes for that great harp sound is being done by your own body. And not just your lips, tongue, and mouth, but your whole head, hands, throat, lungs, etc. Which is why it's all such enjoyable fun.
If it's not the harmonica, then I'd look at what's going on with your lips and tongue.
Hole 1 is unlike every other hole in that there's nothing to the left of it. Despite that, to play that hole you don't need to change the configuration of your lips or, if you're tongue blocking, your tongue. Let lips and tongue rest on the end piece, and even let then hang off the end of the harps, as your lips will close to seal that space from any leakage.
Another possibility is that you're vrowding the hole and preventing the reed from sounding. Make sure that on Hole 1 the opening in your mouth is bigger than the hole so that air can flow freely.
The third possibility is that inside your mouth, your tongue is compressing the airflow and causing drag. If you geel any suction, or hear any sound when you take the harmonica away while you inhale, then work to lower the middle and back parts of your tongue so that the air can flow freely without drage, suction, or noise.