LoA3 - Study Song 'Feeling for the Blues' - playing two holes 5th Chorus
Another 'technical' question - when playing two holes at once, I am not sure if I should keep my tongue on harmonica, or I play them in a 'puckering' style of playing. I noticed that I sound better when I switch to pucker two holes. Is this correct way, or am I cheating? When dirtying hole 4 with hole 5, (3rd chorus 5th bar), I keep my tongue on harmonica, that comes natural.
Reminding you that I actually U-block play, just I find that for now this is the only way I can 'tongue block'.
I used to be lefty, and they force switched me many years ago to the right. As a result of that my sense of left and right is completely messed up. That's why I believe I cannot learn proper tongue blocking technique. But, fortunately U-block makes me comfortable. I tried for more than a week to go back to the beginning to learn proper tongue block, and I was not able to produce clean single hole sound on hole 2 or 3 once. :(
Thanks for trying to accommodate my wierd style of playing with your explanation. :)
Option 2 is what I am comfortable with.
As you probably not recall, I played through level 1 and 2 thinking that I am tongue blocking, but when checking my audio of a study song at level 2 (slapping notes) you noticed, to my surprise, that I am actually U-blocking. Since then I tried to go back to level 1 and learn proper tongue blocking, but found it extremely frustrating to the point that I started thinking that there's something wrong with me, or with the anatomy of my tongue.
For example, no matter how hard I try to play a single hole 4, hole 5 creeps in, the moment I want to cover hole 5 to isolate single note on hole 4, hole 1 starts playing giving me an octave I don't want. I also salivate a lot trying to tongue block. Besides that, I find the bending impossible with the tongue blocking style, as I cannot try to move the tongue, it messes my playing right away.
Since my way of playing allows me to easily isolate single notes, also bending is not nearly impossible (still having troubles with -2'' and -3''' though), I decided for now to continue with the U-blocking style, or whatever it is the style that I play. At least I am keeping my tongue at the harmonica.
Do you thing that this way of playing will become a serious obstacle in conquering learning material later on higher levels?
Hello kvladdan. I do remember. My instruction is based on the standard tongue block, so there will be times you'll need to experiment to find a workaround. Though your road is not the common one, it doesn't mean that it's not a valid way of playing... it will just take some creative adjustment along the way. There may be some techniques that won't work so well in a U-Block, but that's okay, every embouchure has its limitations and areas where it excels.
Hello kvladdan. You have me in foreign territory, I don't use or teach the U-Block. I would think some experimenting would be in order. Try...
1) Pushing lightly in the direction of the back, right-hand corner of your harmonica (2 o'clock), leaking a sliver of air into the higher hole.
2) Try flattening (uncurling) the U a little bit, and moving/leaning slightly to the right.
3) You know that taking your tongue off (puckering) works for you, so that's an option, though I recommend you try experimenting with keeping your tongue on the harmonica first... switching embouchures mid-play is not as efficient.