[Harp-L] Out of the Moment

["John F. Potts" <hvyj@xxxxxxx>]

After the experience described in my previous "In the Moment" post, i  
spent some time sitting around trying to re-create what happened and  
i discovered something i hadn't realized that i was doing.  As i said  
before, i am a mixed embouchure player but usually pucker for single  
note playing, although i can tongue block when i want to. From time  
to time I've mentioned that one advantage of tongue blocking is that  
a player can get the holes of the harmonica deep in the mouth past  
the top and bottom teeth which creates a nice large unobstructed oral  
resonance chamber.

Anyway, several years ago in quest of improved tone i started to use  
a deep embouchure when puckering,  tilting the holes of the harp down  
towards my throat with the edge of the top coverplate pressing  
against the corners of my mouth.  This, along with some other  
important alterations in my technique deepened and fattened my tone  
considerably.  I never realized it before, but I just discovered that  
using this deep embouchure with the downward tilt actually puts the  
holes of the harp into my mouth PAST my top teeth, which, of course,  
improves the oral resonance chamber.

I've never been of the opinion that one must tongue block in order to  
achieve superior tone.  But deep embouchure with as large as possible  
air aperture in the lips combined with deep diaphragmatic air  
production, an open throat, and a relaxed jaw are unquestionably  
important parts of the equation.  Tongue blocking FORCES the player  
to do all these things automatically because otherwise it's not  
possible to tongue block effectively. But using good deep embouchure  
and doing all of these other things while puckering is very much more  
of an acquired skill.  i just never realized before how truly close  
to a tongue blocked resonance chamber one can achieve this way.

And, of course, there is nothing more important than good tone.....

FWIW.

JP