Philosofy
95 posts
Dec 17, 2008
6:47 PM
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I'm proud that I learned to tongue block early on: it helps a lot to be able to go back and forth between lip pursing and tongue blocking, but I have some questions:
Does anyone play out of the left side of their mouth? Would it be worthwhile to learn?
I know you can bend notes while tongue blocking, but haven't figured it out. Any hints?
Do you tongue block on the 1 & 2 holes? With so little harp to the left of these holes, I find them easier to lip purse. Should I tongue block these holes?
Thanks guys!
Phil
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oldwailer
380 posts
Dec 17, 2008
8:03 PM
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I never thought to tongue block on the left side until I saw Rick Estrin play live--he did a rendition of "Bye Bye Bird" on a low harp (as God intended) and I noticed that he would do tongue slaps while holding the 1 blow and draw. It was a very cool effect--so I have started working on doing that.
I can bend while tongue blocking SOMETIMES. It's like my oversqueak--it only works once in a while--it's a work in progress--but I can only tell you that it can be done because I have done it.
I read somewhere that Dennis Gruenling--an avowed TBer, lip purses below the 3 hole. Don't know if that is true or not. . .
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Jeff
173 posts
Dec 17, 2008
9:43 PM
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I always TB the 2 draw. As you can hear in Adam's second Nat Riddles video, there is great reason to for the percussive thick honk you can achieve. I know Gruenling and Filisko play out of both sides of their mouth for quicker runs and jumps. But I would put forth effort in working on 3rd position or a weak area of the harp you're aware of before putting in the effort to do that.
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Tryharp
39 posts
Dec 18, 2008
5:22 AM
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Phil,
I basically tongue block everything, I'm a 2 year player. I can do all draw bends easily tongue blocking, and have been for the last year at least. I started LP but then after a while tried TB, mainly because I like the sound of some TBers ( Nat Riddles, BW etc ). If you try bending while TBing you will soon get the hang of it and it will become efortless, its not hard at all ( no harder that leaning to LP bend ). If you are always TBing going to the the 1 and 2 is just natural, its a lot harder to switch to a LP I think than to just slide on down with the tongue on the harp, and TBing the 2 you get great tone and also the slap there if you want it. I play the harp upside down cause I'm sort of left handed in some things, but I havent tried TB out the other side, but now that OW mentions the TS on the one, I tried it and I,m gunna have a go at that.
Jamie
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GermanHarpist
35 posts
Dec 18, 2008
6:04 AM
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@Tryharp
So do you Tongueblock out of the right or the left side of your mouth? If the harp is upside down you should also inverse the TB position, right?
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http://www.youtube.com/germanharpist
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