"Conscious effort"; was TB in 30..

["Mike Curtis" <ironman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I always play "from deep down" using a pucker embouchure.  I do so
automatically, without conscious thought.  If one must do something
consciously, it reflects a need to practice and improve the skill.  At
first, everything is conscious.  After much time and work, it all becomes
automatic.

Remember your first experience driving a car?  Probably a hair raising
experience.  But with time and practice, these things become "natural".  We
commit them to muscle memory.  They're now automatic.

Someone recently commented that, when they TB, it ALWAYS comes out as an
octave.  I have the same problem.  I use TB for octaves or chord bursts.  It
has become the "natural" thing for me.  When my tongue hits the harp, if I
want to do anything other than octaves or slaps, it has to be done
consciously.

Hope to see a lot of you at the LARHA harmonica jam this afternoon.


 --mike

> Basically, playing 100% tb forces you to play from deep down, from the
> throat, since your tongue and mouth are busy tb-ing. Hence the 'richer
> tone'. However, you can achieve the very same depth of playing puckering,
> but it has to be a conscious effort to play from the throat and chest
rather
> than from the mouth...
>
> That's my take on it anyway...
>
> Ben FELTEN, Editor
> www.planetharmonica.com