Drawing on the 3 hole
Hi,
Just starting out with the harmonica, focusing on trying to play clear single notes using both the pucker and the tongue blocking technique. I have an A harmonica and a C harmonica, and for some reason I can't seem to get any sound at all on the 3 draw on the A harmonica. I can do it just fine on the C harmonica. It's a poor musician who blames his instrument, but I'm wondering if maybe I broke the reed for the 3 draw. I try to play at low volume, but who knows? Maybe I was too excited when I started out and broke the reed.
Any suggestions for trying to get a tone from the 3 draw on the A harmonica?
Thanks,
Jay
Thanks, David. I have been having mixed results with the 3 draw, so I think it's my technique rather than the harmonica that is the culprit. I bought a tonge block trainer and watched your videos on how to practice with this tool. Very good pointers.
Okay, great.
Hello Jay. Most likely it’s your technique (99% of the time) and further experimentation is needed to get that reed to sound. Each reed is of a different pitch, and some reeds are sensitive to your tongue location in your mouth, thus experimentation is needed. Go to this page https://www.bluesharmonica.com/faq and watch the video "My 2 draw and/or high-end notes sounds flat, airy or not at all!"
For the 1% possibility, you can take your cover plates off and look to see if there is something obstructing the reed. Good luck with this.