Re: [Harp-L] tongue blocking



Larry Marks writes:
Don't get too serious about leakage. While I usually play clean single notes, I find that a little "leakage" can be very desirable. For example, when playing a 3 draw, a little bit of the 4 draw produces a really neat sounding effect. You may also find that slapping your tongue up against the mouthboard to get a single note after a brief full chord can produce a very pleasing effect. By all means, learn how to produce a clean single note, but don't forget the value of some occasional slop.

I couldn't agree more, Larry. I say slop it up!


Phil Wiggins calls it "dirtying it up a little." A lot of music is not especially "sanitary." That's especially true of Blues. I think leakage adds a certain tension that can be used to great emotional effect when resolved to a single note (or vice-versa).

BTW, one needn't restrict their "leakage" technique to tongue blocking. I like to do it when I'm lip pursing too. Tom Ball is one great player who uses the method to simulate tongue blocking effects while using the pucker embouchure. As he points out in his books, you can bleed air from one hole to the left or right sides or both. You can do it percussively too, making it sound like a tongue slap or pull-off.

Thanks for mentioning it, Larry.

Michelle





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