geordiebluesman
48 posts
Jun 23, 2008
9:28 AM
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Hi Harpers,has anyone got a top tip to help dry the mouth before and during practice and playing,i get really frustrated coz after about ten mins my harps start choking up with saliva,i try to play with my head tilted back so that i can swallow rather than spit[settle down there all you rude minded folks!]but what would be better is if there's some one out there who has had the same problem and found something that dries out the mouth,[like maybe sucking on a lemon or licking allum or something]any sensible suggestions would be a help [actually i'm up for silly suggestions aswell if they're funny]
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OEuropean
7 posts
Jun 23, 2008
9:46 AM
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Geordie,
I'm sorry. I can't help you. I have the opposite kind of problem.
I really have trouble moving fast from one hole to another without removing my lips from the harp. My lips are too dry.
Has anyone a tip to resolve this annoying problem?
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Jeff
110 posts
Jun 23, 2008
10:02 AM
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If you're a puckerer, generally the lower you drop your jaw, the less saliva is going to be able to come out of your mouth. You'll get the same tone as a tongue-blocker also.
If you look at a picture of Big Walter playing or watch Jason Ricci's videos on "pucker vs tongue-block", you'll see that you have to drop your jaw so low that it almost hurts at first. But the position will become second nature to you quickly and be comfortable.
When your jaw is dropped that low, all of your saliva pools up in the cavity under your tongue and is unable to come out of the mouth unless you raise your jaw again.
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kudzurunner
57 posts
Jun 23, 2008
10:47 AM
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For dry lips, use any sort of Chapstick. I use Burt's Bees.
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Chowda30
7 posts
Jun 23, 2008
2:06 PM
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I have run into both those problems.
I usually get a super dry mouth after playing for a bit. This is a huge problem if I'm playing a gig. I try to drink a good amount of water about a hour before I play for extended time. I don't have a lot of experience with dry lips though, just a dry mouth.
I have also experienced the extra siliva that choke out my reeds issue. A quick solution that i use is slapping the harp on my leg. When I hit the holeside againt my leg it usually throws some of that moisture out of the harp. Its just a bandaid solution but it can help.
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oldwailer
91 posts
Jun 23, 2008
4:47 PM
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I get the dry lips problem--I have found that drinking water and rinsing the inside of the mouth out then swallowing the water works for this. Sorry Geordie--gin doesn't work for this.
The wet mouth problem is one I get especially if I'm TBing in first position with big chords--Bob Dylan stuff--for some reason that makes my mouth think we are enjoying a Big Mac--for me, I just keep drinking my water and rapping out the harp when I have the chance.
The Burt's Bees lip balm is good too--but it doesn't last very long for me. . .
Mainly, just drinking plenty of water or beer seems to work best.
Last Edited by on Jun 23, 2008 4:49 PM
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harpmonkey
56 posts
Jun 23, 2008
10:08 PM
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You mean the vibrato isn't from all that slobber bubbling through the harp?
jk
I have the dry lip thing going.
Never had that problem years ago playing horns, always drowning and dribbling.
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oldwailer
96 posts
Jun 24, 2008
8:49 PM
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Yeah, Monkey, as I get older I find that I need to drink more too!
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Bobbyred16
11 posts
Jul 17, 2008
8:18 AM
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Gordie I have the same problem as you and when playing sometimes at rehersal in the middle on my solo's my reeds begin to stick, this actually was good for me as it forced me to add more space between my notes. I find that if I am playing too much too long that my mouth contiues to remain open and more spit is entering the harp. By taking the more is less approach, I have found that I can control that problem a little better. I always rinse out my Special 20's between sets on gigs as well to ensure all the spit is gone.
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Aussiesucker
3 posts
Jul 17, 2008
2:31 PM
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Have the same problems ie at times a wet mouth and at other times very dry lips. I find that the wet mouth is often troublesome when practicing and following tabs that I look down onto ie on a desk. I find if I put the tabs at a level directly in my line of site and stand in front then the problem goes away. Drinking water and cleaning teeth before playing improves both. Since practicing on a chromatic I found that it is necessary to be very careful as chromatics dont work when the windsavers get wet. Depending on the time of year here ie in very dry times I get dry lips and licking them can make them only drier ie best to use water and apply a chap stick when not playing.
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Bobbyred16
17 posts
Aug 05, 2008
11:39 AM
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Aussie has made a great point about the whole looking down thing. At my most recent gig we had a photographer there and he said he was unable to get a good shot of me beacuse I was always looking down when I played. I never really noticed this and was doing it subconsiously. As a result I think the saliva was dipping down on to the draw reeds more often as they would always stick. Recently though I have made an effort to look up and keep my head level when I play. I have not had any situations with sticky reeds since.
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mic
50 posts
Aug 06, 2008
10:43 PM
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Sometimes my mouth ain't too wet, or it ain't too dry.
Sometimes it's just right and life is good!
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MD1032
2 posts
Aug 07, 2008
5:51 AM
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I had a huge problem with this when I started playing clarinet in fifth grade. I don't even remember how I solved it. Honestly, I don't think there is a way to solve it. Over time, my mouth just seemed to naturally start producing less saliva and nowadays it isn't a problem. There's really nothing you can do (unless you're eating strange foods that cause it... put down the lemonade tea, for example).
I agree that drinking water ahead of time, which may seem counterintuative, helps harp playing tremendously.
Also, over time as you learn to open up the inside of your mouth more, you'll have more capacitance. Keep the tip of your tongue mobile instead of letting it sit at the bottom of your mouth for starters.
Last Edited by on Aug 07, 2008 5:53 AM
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