Tongue Blocking With Other Techniques
Okay, I'm confused (a common state with me, so don't be alarmed). When I first started learning, I was puckering. Now it seems that tongue blocking is the way to go, so I'm learning to move away from puckering to that style. The problem is, now I'm confused about the other techniques. For example:
Bending - will I still perform bends in the pucker embouchure?
Shakes - will I (or should I) do shakes with the tongue blocking embouchure, or the pucker?
Are there any techniques that puckering is better for than tongue blocking?
Thanks, and...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I used a pucker embouchure for quite some time. In the beginning I did do some tongue blocking but mainly for slaps and octaves. At a point when I got to a song that required me to tongue block bend I learned how to bend with my tongue on the harp and haven't looked back since. The only thing I don't do tongue blocked is the 1 hole and the 10 hole both of those I pucker. I also suppose a "kiss pop" would have to be puckered.
Thanks Jon!
I'm glad you've figured out a way to make it work, and it helps me figure out mine.
I'm getting used to it the more I try it. In fact, I'm getting to the point where I'm worrying more about my old gremlins like shakes and partial bends. I think, like you, I'll stop trying to tongue block the one hole - once I get through David's lesson which I'm sure is meant to build character (or promote tongue switching anyway).
Add tongue blocking where you want pulls, slaps and octaves (commonly on holes 4 and above). For now, do all bending in a pucker... switching to tongue blocking when you want the sound of tongue block techniques. As time goes on, yes, learn how to tongue block bend (start with holes 4, 5 and 6). As a blues harmonica player advances in their playing (over years) they do more and more in tongue blocking.
Yes, shake in the tongue block if you're in the middle of a "tongue block" passage.
Pucker is great for super fast articulation (listen to Jason Ricci)... otherwise, TB is king! ;-)
This is normal, almost all of us pro players started in a pucker and then added more and more tongue blocking as we advanced.
Good luck!!!... and, take your time!!! ;-)