Playing two notes at once
Mon, 07/04/2011 - 21:25
Hi David,
I've been working on Temperature and I have a quick question. On the second measure of the 5th chorus when I draw in two notes at once (4 and 5 draw) is this done with the tongue on the harmonica or in a pucker? I know it can be done either way but which do you prefer us to do? Also, when doing the shake should our tongue be on the harp as well?
Thank you and happy 4th.
-Taylor
Tue, 07/05/2011 - 20:41
#2
Sounds good. I've been
Sounds good. I've been switching to pucker for those notes but I'll practice tongue blocking so I can have that technique in my toolbox.
Thank you,
Taylor
Happy 4th to you as well! This is a tongue blocking study song, so do as much tongue blocking as you can.
Learn how to do it for those two techniques and then make a decision which embouchure sounds better, or is most appropriate for a given passage (if you're around slaps, pulls and/or octaves, for example, it makes sense to stay in a tongue block).
I tongue block all the time. This is my deliberate choice as a player... to be able to play the style I love. I can pucker and tongue block equally well. in the end it's all about options. You'll figure it out, we all do... though it's a very personal choice. In the end... from many dedicated years of teaching the blues harmonica... it's obvious... the more a player tongue blocks the better.