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Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 03:20:44 -0800
From: "John R"
Subject: Re: (High end )Bending and tongue blocking

>Date: Thu, 22 Feb 2001 10:00:38 -0800 (PST)
>From: Winslow Yerxa
>Subject: Re: Bending and tongue blocking
>To: harp-l
>
>
>>I pucker the high end bends, even though I TB
>>everything else. My question is, did any of the
>>masters (using Walter Horton as an example) TB those high end
>>bends? (snip) the bends all sound puckered to me.
>
>What do you mean by "sound puckered"? Is it simply the
>absence of any positive evidence of tongue action,
>like slaps? or something else? Lack of proof is not
>proof of lack.
- -
- - Yes, that is what I meant. Walter Horton has that little slap -maybe
more of a tongue-tap or a little.....{?what to call it}...a crack where he
maybe plays a little touch of a chord before the note- small, subtile, but
effective in thickening his tone. I know those of you who listen for those
nuances know what I mean....he does it all the time- most every
song...anyway, I never seem to hear that when he plays holes 7-10. I have
not heard everything he has done, but I can't imagine that he makes a
conscious decision to eliminate that little tap on only the blow bends, so
I'm thinking he changes his embouchure. I'm not looking for definitive
proof, but my listening skills have come a long way lately and I know alot
of folks have invested alot of time and effort into learning the techniques
of "the greats". I was hoping to tap into that great body of knowledge also
known as harp-l. I'm obsessed with his sound lately (next week I'll probably
be obsessed with someone else's).
- -
- -
>>Same with "Trouble in Mind". I'm quite curious who
>>TBs those bends, and whether it will really have much
>>affect on my tone (that's the most important part-
>>not who played how)....anyone have the scoop?
>
>Ah, the real question. The effect of doing something
>one way versus another. Even the "greats" have changed
>their minds about things like this over the course of
>their development.

_Yes,I suppose that's true. What I was hoping for was about 10 replys from
those of you who tongue block and make a living playing blues harp telling
us all what YOU all do when you end-bend 7thru10. Just one reply so
far....what you wrote next is great food for thought Winslow....
>
>So, what benefits can you derive from learning to bend
>high notes while tongue blocking?
>
>Will it strengthen your bending technique? Definitely.
>Learning to activate and control the small resonant
>chamber needed for high-pitched bends will extend and
>refine your overall bending abilities.
>
>Will it reduce the need to switch back and forth
>between pucker and TB? Yes, and this can help you play
>more efficiently, and to better integrate the tonal
>quality and continuity of your lines.

- -Great points-
>
>Will it affect your tone? Maybe. You might not hear a
>sudden, dramatic improvement in the sound of your high
>bends (especially as it may take awhile to learn).
>However, the two improvements mentioned above will
>both contribute indirectly to better tone by giving
>you better control over tone production, and improving
>the consistency of tone brought about by a single
>method.
>
>Winslow

- -One thing about playing music that I love is that in the process of
learning, one must make decisions about style and technique which he will
carry with him forever. So now I (and the guy who started this thread in the
first place) have to make a decision- I'm not too happy with my tone with
those bends and need to eventually make some changes to improve it. Messing
around for a few minutes, I can bend 9&10 1/2 step while TBing...a good
start,but as you said- no sudden change in tone (actually worse as a result
of not hitting 'em cleanly) but I have such a long list of things I want to
learn (4th and 5th position, and learning to play my chromatic properly top
my list) and haven't even begun, so it's hard to backtrack and learn those
bends all over again.....sigh.
I guess the debate between my lips and tongue rages on, but it would be
helpful somehow to know what the rest of you do....
Thanx Winslow...you're on a roll this month- even teaching me things I
didn't know I wanted to know!
- -John R

"I don't want to play like nobody else, I want to play like me. I don't
think about the other fella, not in his music"...."I want my music to sound
different from anybody's".
-Walter "Shakey" Horton 1972

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