[Harp-L] RE: Exercising Chops

[Dan <billybudd1313@xxxxxxxxx>]

  One of my first books was called 'Bending the Blues" (I think) by Dave Harp.  That book had tongue isometrics for strength.  Basically, you hold your tongue against different sides of your mouth while pushing for 10 sec.  I'm not sure if it helped, but you can do this w/o anyone knowing.
   
  I like to whistle in and out, sort of rehearsing the licks and breathing patterns when I'm harp-less.
   
   
  A good strength technique (with harp) I like is to practice with stock out of the box Marine Bands.  Being a Sp20 guy, I find that Marine bands are like weight lifting.  You need to work more for tone.  If you get big tone with them, other harps are cake.
   
  Dan G.