Lip/corner of the mouth getting irritated and scabbed
Hey David!First of all, I'd like to thank you for creating this website. So much great instruction in one place, and well structured to boot. Hats off to you! :)I started playing the harmonica about 9 months ago and made the transition to tongue blocking about 4 months back. It's been a right hoot thus far, however I'm recently having a problem that unfortunately limits my playing/practice time. The lips in the right corner of my mouth become irritated and scabbed from time to time, and I have to put the harp away for a couple of days to allow them to heal. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to prevent this? I used to push the harp so hard into my mouth that the lpis in the right corner would end up bruised, but I have since dropped the habit as my technique improved.Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Cheers,Julius
I don't mean to step on the professionals' turf, I am also a novice. :)
But since I had corner of my lips bruised while practicing by the Special 20 I can share my opinion. First off whatever David said is just true, I was also pushing way too hard. That must be changed first of all. I still find myself pushing hard in the middle of the practice sessions when I kind of 'forget' about it. So it's not quite a habit for me. It must become so.
But you can also consider other harmonica types that have rounded corners, a.k.a ergonomic cover plates. They are far easier on the lips and also the hands. Suzuki's BluesMaster is an example of such harmonicas.
Thank you very much for the tips, guys. I guess I'm also getting a bit carried away when playing and start pushing the harmonica too hard against my lips. Another thing to work on...
Thank you Julius, I'm glad you're enjoying your studies. You found the answer, you're pushing too hard. I'm glad you backed off and are not pushing as much, but the key is to go even further, using a lighter touch... super-light. The lips are just a seal, they should be soft and relaxed... just enough to keep air from escaping. I recommend you watch my lessons with Hob, specifically these lessons...
Lesson 1 – Holding the Harmonica, Part 1
Lesson 1 – Holding the Harmonica, Part 2
Lesson 1 – The Importance of Playing Softly
Lesson 1 – Putting the Harmonica in Your Mouth
https://www.bluesharmonica.com/contributor/hob_bosold
P.S., as you're healing up, it's a perfect time to student the Music Theory Study lessons :-)
Best wishes on your studies!