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From: Michael Will
Date: Thu, 04 Jul 1996 11:39:37 -0700
Subject: Re: Tone & Tongue

JfGindi~ol.com wrote:

> I'm finding I have to move the harp even when I tongue block and that this little
> swivel on the lower lip is my fastest way, whether t'b'ing or puckering.

I think the lip block has a lot in common with the tongue block. A "true" pucker
(without blocking with the lower lip) can't resort to the "swivel" can it? A switch
from a pucker/lip block to a tongue block can get you a fast jump too, even
if you don't start out tongue blocking the first note. I think basically you're using the
width of your mouth to traverse the harp, by playing different holes with different
parts of the mouth (e.g. middle for pucker and side for tongue block).

> Does your [Richard Hunter's] post
> mean that for a headshake type of sound, you'd prefer to tongue-block and
> move tongue?

I notice a difference in tone or timbre between headshakes or glissandos using
pucker/lip blocking and tongue blocking. Anyone have a preferred technique and
rationale? I wonder if the tongue pressing on the harp helps keep the holes in a more
uniform plane, where when puckering it's more difficult to do so, so the volume/tone
tends to vary a bit and not be quite as smooth.

- --
..Mic'l

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