Gary 62
100 posts
Dec 18, 2015
12:19 PM
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So i have been getting into practicing scales and the like tongue blocked. One thing i notice is moving from position to position my lips seem to stick and i don't move smoothly a lot of the time. You have to kind of drag your lips to the higher or lower position whereas when your lips are a bit moist you glide.
Reason i'm asking this is i read somewhere to play as dry as possible is the best thing and you don't want excess saliva or anything like that. Normally i play really dry with normal blues riffs and playing but doing scales up and down the length of the harp is much harder to do with dry lips.
What do you guys think? and have you encountered this or thought about it before?
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SuperBee
3093 posts
Dec 18, 2015
2:34 PM
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It's an occasional thing for me. If I notice it I lick my lips and that's it. Not really a focus point.
If a harp has a dirty lid though, it can be a problem in that way.
Tongue blocking shouldn't present any special problem in this way. Probably less movement required overall. Are you tensing up, maybe?
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SuperBee
3094 posts
Dec 18, 2015
2:36 PM
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Oh yeah...playing 'dry'. Doesn't mean dry lips. Always moisten your lips. Dave Barrett makes a point in his video lessons, of reminding folks to wet their lips
Last Edited by SuperBee on Dec 18, 2015 2:37 PM
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Fil
83 posts
Dec 18, 2015
2:46 PM
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I think SuperBee has it. I'm putting more time into tongue blocking and found early on that I was clogging the harps up with saliva much more than with my lip pursing. That is wet playing, I think. Over time i've 'dried out' a lot.
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Phil Pennington
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Gary 62
103 posts
Dec 21, 2015
9:14 AM
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Thanks guys for the input. As i'm practicing and learning some scales can someone clarify if this is correct. This is a video from Jason Ricci and it's on minor scales. Now the first scale is he meaning 2D bent a whole step? He just says 2D bend and the half step does not sound right. Anyway here's the video, it's the first scale at the beginning. This is where having the same key of harp is ideal because you can match what he's playing exactly. He's on a Bb and nearest i have is an A.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-GgNKzK1G0
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MindTheGap
897 posts
Dec 21, 2015
11:08 AM
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Yes your are right. 2'' (2D, full step bend) is the minor 3rd of the scale. 2' (2D, 1/2 step bend) would give your the major 3rd.
Watch out though, as it's common in 2nd position blues to really floor that 2'' bend, but if you want a nice minor scale in 3rd position you need to hold it a little higher.
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Gary 62
104 posts
Dec 21, 2015
1:30 PM
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MTG: Thanks man i saw it written out on the screen but played it and said to myself "Nah! That doesn't sound right at all! Too happy and majory sounding!"
God, Jason is good! Controlling those bends is so hard! I understand completely now people saying practicing your bends and perfecting them is the most important thing. It's so easy to be off the pitch a bit and for it to sound real sour.
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paulbunyn
112 posts
Dec 24, 2015
8:25 AM
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Offering my 2 cents!!! There are two parts to your lips, the dry outside part that everyone can see and the inside part that stays moist and no one sees (while your mouth is closed). push your lips out a bit more so the moist inside is riding on the harp.
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