Shake 3-4 vs 4-5
Sun, 09/26/2021 - 05:23
Is is normal that I feel that shakes 3-4 should be played somewhat differently?
When playing (draw) 4-5 or 5-6 both notes seem balanced. But for 3-4, 4 seems more "prominent", and I have to put "less 4" to feel it balanced. I keep this feeling for all harmonicas.
Is it something known? or maybe can it be a hint of a problem?
When getting to the left of the harmonica, the left corner can get more in the mouth, and I close a bit more my lips to avoid air leaking. Maybe this causes some dissymetry, and I don't know if it's a bad thing.
So I don't know if I should practice both shakes differently, or correct my embouchure so that the same movement works for both.
Hello ÉricD.
Keep your embouchure the same. The shake embouchure should also be the same as all other single notes that you play. The shake technique has you alternating quickly between two notes, so it still is a single-hole technique per se.
If you would like to hear less of one of the notes, you simply don't move as far into that hole. This is not common to do, but it may create an effect that you like for a particular passage.
With all this said, you can mix two notes together if you wish. Performing a 4 to 5 shake for example, you can pay 4 with a touch of 5, and then as you shake right, you have 5 with a touch of 4. This is easy to do... start with your mouth a little larger than normal (so that your 4 has a little bit of 5 draw) and move your head or hands (whichever you prefer to move) less than normal...smaller movement.