SonnyD4885
181 posts
Feb 14, 2012
6:30 AM
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in the middle of a show spit got stuck in a reed and f@#$ up the song any suggestions
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Honkin On Bobo
930 posts
Feb 14, 2012
6:41 AM
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Don't spit so much?
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Harpengr
31 posts
Feb 14, 2012
6:43 AM
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Try playing with your head up. Maybe tilted back.
I think this helps and also helps tone.
Last Edited by on Feb 14, 2012 6:43 AM
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S-harp
10 posts
Feb 14, 2012
7:18 AM
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Yes .. head up ... or playing with the harp tilted down in your mouth.
When changing keys put them with tiles down.
A trick if the reeds stick whilst playing is to blow/draw a chord with surrounding holes, soft first and increasingly harder, narrowing the action down to the troubled hole ... if it's saliva this gets it unstuck ... and no one will notice, since the chord, of course, will be part of the solo!
The thing is don't stop playing and make a thing of it, and people wouln't even notice.
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The tone, the tone ... and the tone.
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easyreeder
151 posts
Feb 14, 2012
7:29 AM
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Spit happens.
Tilting head back works for me. I do it when I feel the saliva start flowing. I don't always do it quickly enough, but it usually works.
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dougharps
159 posts
Feb 14, 2012
8:09 AM
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Yes... Tipping your head back helps if you are playing wet.
And never just stop playing if a note doesn't sound. You can use other parts of the harp. If you have a backup harp, swap when you can, then fix the spit jammed harp later.
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Doug S.
Last Edited by on Feb 14, 2012 8:11 AM
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Frank
210 posts
Feb 14, 2012
8:59 AM
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I once asked Gary Primach about this topic, this was when I first started learning harp and I hated the spit thing rearing it's ugly head in my playing. Anyway, this was a long time ago and I got photo's of the show, the whole front of his shirt was soaked with sweat not spit,lol, but I regress - he told me it happened to him too and that it will work itself out on it's own as I continue to learn - it worked, then a whole new set of problems arose that I needed to address. The funny thing is, it's a never ending ordeal of one tribulation after the other - life is to short for God's sake.
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Miles Dewar
1194 posts
Feb 14, 2012
9:53 AM
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If you smoke plenty of marijuana before you go on, you shouldn't have a problem with spit. ;)
If you are into that sort of thing.
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toddlgreene
3518 posts
Feb 14, 2012
10:15 AM
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Limit drinking til after you play, or drink rarely during long sets.
also, stuff big cotton balls in your mouth before you play. not only should this keep you dry, but you'll look like the Dizzy Gillespie of harmonica.
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Todd L. Greene
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Honkin On Bobo
931 posts
Feb 14, 2012
10:33 AM
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"If you smoke plenty of marijuana before you go on, you shouldn't have a problem with spit."
Can we get that on the list of conditions treatable with pot in the medical marijuana states?
condition #39846: Harper's Slobber (haperitis sloberundum)
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nacoran
5229 posts
Feb 14, 2012
10:51 AM
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Avoid dairy for an hour before you play. It makes lots of phlegm. Phlegm, combined with regular spit, makes things much stickier.
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Nate
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Kingley
1790 posts
Feb 14, 2012
10:57 AM
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Todd - Lol! "the Dizzy Gillespie of harmonica" love it!!
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KingoBad
1040 posts
Feb 14, 2012
11:28 AM
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Don't be afraid to put in a good quick slap on the leg to clear it by dropping out on a fill or turnaround. You should have plenty of time, unless it is a solo of course... then your screwed...
I find it better to keep drinking water between songs. I need it because I am usually singing too, but it keeps the saliva diluted and keeps things from getting sticky, even if it gets wet...
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Danny
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bluemoose
682 posts
Feb 14, 2012
12:06 PM
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Yes on the heads up and think about breathing through the harp rather than sucking on it.
MBH Webbrain - a GUI guide to Adam's Youtube vids
FerretCat Webbrain - Jason Ricci's vids (by hair colour!)
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Andrew
1559 posts
Feb 15, 2012
1:13 AM
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There's no simple one-off solution - it's one of the things you have to practise - it's part of technique.
Every time you put the harp to your mouth, think if your mouth is dry or not, and if it isn't, swallow.
It's also possible that the front of your tongue is pressing against your saliva glands - try keeping your tongue pulled back a bit. This will also serve to increase the size of your mouth cavity which will give you better tone into the bargain.
Of course, you have to be a lip-purser to do this!
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Andrew.
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Last Edited by on Feb 15, 2012 3:29 AM
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Leatherlips
29 posts
Feb 15, 2012
3:17 AM
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Never happened to me, but I learned early on that dairy products are a no no, as has been pointed out. Not only does it make for sticky spit, but is not a good thing to have in your stomach when pumping that diaphragm.
In the breaks, you could go and give all your harps a quick swish under the tap. That never does any harm. Make sure they are all operating afterwards.
Sometimes I do small gigs for drinks and food. Great. I don't get to eat because I don't play on a full stomach.
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