Gary 62
97 posts
Nov 28, 2015
12:45 PM
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I've just started learning to tongue block. I'm really glad i did as i can see a whole new landscape opening up in playing by doing it. Problem is with having the tongue on the harp a lot you seem to develop a lot of saliva and more of it seems to get in to the reeds. I had to disassemble my harp and raise the action on my #4 reed as i had it set really tight for OB's.
Anyone else had the same issues when learning to tongue block with sticking reeds?
Last Edited by Gary 62 on Nov 28, 2015 12:45 PM
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SuperBee
2993 posts
Nov 28, 2015
2:20 PM
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Ah, yes it can be a problem. Will probably diminish over time as you work out how to deal with it. Tilting the harp helps, as does sitting up straight/not bowing the head. But also, when learning a new technique there's often a tendency to spend much more time repeating things and on the same holes, same harp than you would if you were playing a song or series of songs. When I was trying to come to terms with bending my low Eb harp it started to develop swollen tines because I'd spend so long playing the 1,2,3 chambers. Similarly, when working on blow bends (tongue blocked) I'd get the reeds sticking after a little while...frustrating because it seems your technique is maybe breaking down but really you're just playing a lot more blow bends than anyone would do in performance...
Sometimes you do have to adjust the harp, sometimes you have to clean it, but mainly it's a transitional problem you just have to deal with for a while...I've been at tongue blocking for 5 and a half years and it's just an occasional minor irritation now, mostly. It comes back when I practice overblows, and a bit now as I practice blow bending in higher keys...I'm moving up to Bb and C harps because I like First position so much I want to be able to play in more keys...E might be a stretch though...maybe I'll try a Low E...although blow bending on low keys isn't such a picnic either for me...
Some folks tell me they never found the low keys a challenge..I find them very difficult, even just a low F was hard for me to get the 1draw bend. Lo Eb I nearly pass out by the time I've got the thing within 10 cents of the note. Lo D, forget about it. Maybe I can blow bend a low E though...I might have to retune something...think I have some old seydel plates which maybe suitable...although retuning steel reeds is a pill...
Tell you what is a pill...and that's tuning the blow reeds on a Steve Baker Special. My project for this morning...better get to it!
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Gary 62
98 posts
Nov 28, 2015
6:01 PM
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Thanks SuperBee. You know i think you're right and it's just because i'm playing over the same area of the harp all the time. I came across these lessons on tongue blocking on YT by Lee Sankey and he starts you out by getting to play a pattern of 4D 5B 6B. Up and down again. Also up the way to the 6B and then back to the start at the 4B. So all tongue blocked and i've been going over those and getting them cleaner. But it's like you say when you do that and focus on the one place or technique you can run into these problems with condensation getting into the slots and causing the reed to stick.
As regards overblows; i've given up on them for the time being, maybe forever, because i just watched a Ronnie Shellist video and it described it perfectly. He was talking about OB's, but not how to do them. He talked about what they are etc. But he brought up a great point and he said most people using OB's sound absolutely terrible at them and it doesn't sound musical. Well that would have been me! I could get them all except the #1 OB but i couldn't really find a place to use them very well. He also said, and this is the point that really applies to me, that a lot of beginning players are trying to get/use them before they've learnt to play properly. He also spoke about all our blues hero's that never used them at all but who played incredible music.
So that was a bit of food for thought for me. He said perfecting all our bends was much more important.
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SuperBee
3001 posts
Nov 28, 2015
7:20 PM
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Yep, I just play the 6 OB, mainly coming back down at the end of a chorus, but also to get a bit more use from the middle octave in second pos...but mainly it's like the blow bends I think just has been good training for control. I register all that ronnie has to say about it.
I like a country tuned harp a bit more if I need a 5 overblow...so a ct harp that I can overblow the 6 on...that works for me...
But mainly it's just something to work on
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Gary 62
99 posts
Nov 28, 2015
7:38 PM
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Yeah it's good working on them and seeing if you can work them in. I think #6 OB is useful because it's the flat 3rd in cross harp in the middle octave. The other one's i couldn't really see how i could use them but that's probably because i'm not experienced enough as a player. I may pick them up in the years ahead when i improve and get other things under my belt.
I feel tongue blocking is a lot more important thing to be working on than spending time on the OB's at the moment.
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MindTheGap
797 posts
Nov 28, 2015
11:59 PM
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I think SuperBee has it right again. When I started to TB - lots of spit and stopped reeds. I'd have to rinse the harp under the cold tap. Over time it's much less of a problem, and I'd not really thought about why.
Re OBs that's a very reasoned analysis.
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