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Date: Tue, 19 Jun 2001 14:20:22 -0700
From: "Mike Frantz"
Subject: Beginner Questions

I just started playing harp about a month ago, and I've devoured a big
chunk of what is available on the net....great stuff by the way.

I am primarily interested in Blues Harp. My ultimate goal is to simply
be able to play well enough that I enjoy jamming with my brother
(guitar) and friends...no aspirations of professional gigging, etc. I
have Jon Gindick's Rock and Blues book/CD and David Barrets' Chicago
Blues book 1 as I wanted a book with a little bit more structured
practice suggestions. For now I have been focusing on learning to play
single notes properly and becoming comfortable moving around the harp.
And of course I'm playing around with bending. I can hit most of the
bends now, including the blow bends, but nowehere near consistently
enough or with the speed/precision to include in any licks. I need to
be more patient.

Anyways...after that lengthy, and really unnecessary introduction, I
have a couple of questions.

1) I have purchased a variety of harps to learn the differences. I
have a Lee Oskar C, a Big River D, and two Hering Black Blues (just got
for Father's Day) A and E. So far I like the Lee Oskar the best and the
Big River the least (very rough on my mouth). The Herings I tried out
last night and I really enjoy the sound (they seem louder than the
Oskar, but that might have to do with the pitch more than anything) on
the low end, but I'm finding the high end very difficult to play.
Especially the 7 draw on the E harp. In fact without really firming up
my embouchure and tighly focusing the air stream, I don't get any note
at all. If I use that same embouchure on the low end, it seems to mute
the sound some...the resonance is gone somewhat I think. This doesn't
seem right. Has anyone else experienced this? How common is it for new
harps to have problems? Do you need to modify your embouchure depending
on where you are on the harp? I know my bending technique has to
change...is that the same type of thing?

2) right now I'm exclusively a lip-blocker (I think that is closer to
what I'm doing than a pucker). I've tinkered with Tongue-blocking, but
frankly I just can't see that being possible. I can kinda do some
octave things, but getting a clear single-note is VERY hard and if you
had to combine with any sort of
articulation/movement/bending.....well..forget it. I guess my question
is nobody really has explained what the inside of your mouth is supposed
to look like when tongue blocking. Do you use the tip of your tongue?
The back as it curls up? Do you put the harp farther in your mouth
compared to lip blocking?

Maybe I need to get a video so that I can see some techniques? Any
suggestions (although I don't have a VCR....just DVD :) ).

Anyways...I appreciate all the effort the experts put into this list.

Thanks,

Mike