Thanks Ronnie! This came at a good time for me. I've been a pucker player who has moved to including octaves which I love. The last few months I've been working on my single TBs and slaps, flutters,etc.. It's going back to the drawing board which is okay but I realize I like the stuff I've developed on pucker bends so developing a hybrid approach is the way to go for me. Being as I consider you one of my teachers this vid gives a kind of permission to incorporate the best of bother worlds into my own style. It would be great to see more on this subject. And that little tip on getting the harp back in the mouth when puckering for good tone is one of the reasons you're one of the top teachers around. Thanks again...
Great tips! I have been a pucker player for many years and have only recently started to tongue block. You have helped me understand that I can incorporate tongue blocking without giving up puckering holes 1-3.
Excellent timing, Mr Shellist. Like the people who have already commented, I have also just started experimenting with tongue blocking this week. The pucker has served me well thus far, but I can definitely now see the benefits of mixing my technique up here and there. Happy New Year to ya' man and thank you very much for your excellent videos. Peace, Love and Harmonyca at y'all.
I just recently started playing the harmonica and I had always wondered if I could actually combine the two techniques into a great sound. This video helped me answer that question and with the few tips you have just shown me I can add it to my own arsenal of tricks for my harp playing- thank you Ronnie
My favorite part of your videos is when you get distracted by something right in the middle - like the bright light shining in your eyes, or the one where the phone rings while you're talking. It's like a comedy routine.
Good video Ronnie. I'm exactly the same, a pucker player who's come to tongue blocking over time but I still pucker on holes 1 - 3, on 95% of bends and also on faster runs. I've always felt that I should be aiming to tongue block everything but it's reassuring to hear that a player who get's great tone like yourself is switching between pucker and tongue blocking in a similar way. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Ronnie for a great video on this tropic. I've been playing pucker the first 10 years then next 14 years fully tongue blocking. My experience is that whether one uses pucker or tb the great tone is created in the throat area rather than in front of the mouth where the sound is thin.
Ronnie good info as always. I am just getting into TB. Blow notes are going well. Draw notes I have to work at. I started out u blocking, I wonder if the UB & TB will mix, like your pucker and TB. I need to work at pucker & TB. Good video. Keep them coming.
Trying to go from all pucker to all tongue block.maybe I'll Try to stay anchored on the bottom with pucker and switch at the 4 hole.I thought that was cheating.But if you can do it I can too! Thanks
I picked up the harmonica for the first time last week. I had a breakthrough with bending yesterday and feel like I'm on my way. My question is: I've played saxophone for many years and I'm wondering if 'tongue blocking' is similar to 'tonguing' on the sax?
I played sax in high school so I thought the same thing. you may have figured this out already but this is what I myself have come up with. Sort of- Remember playing the sax you really have to tongue the reed to get it to vibrate to get a decent sound- sure you can blow into the thing and get some noise during note changes but the tone sounds way off if you don't hit the reed. It all depends on the type of style you end up playing. If you end up playing more melodies tongue blocking wont be similar because your not trying to make a distinguishing sound between the notes your playing- but if your going to be playing more first position blues- more leading riffs then it could because the notes and chords are more up front and you want them to have more punch. The more you practice the more you will able to choose by instinct- technique -and the strength of your blowing and inhaling what you will want in your sound with the tongue block technique- remember when you are playing harp your tongue does not physically touch the reed plates it helps you hit the notes that you want to.-hope that helps you
Trying to go from all pucker to all tongue block.maybe I'll Try to stay anchored on the bottom with pucker and switch at the 4 hole.I thought that was cheating.But if you can do it I can too! Thanks
Excellent Ronnie! So much clarity added that was missing before ! Thx for the classes and the way you deliver the message!
Thanks Ronnie! This came at a good time for me. I've been a pucker player who has moved to including octaves which I love. The last few months I've been working on my single TBs and slaps, flutters,etc.. It's going back to the drawing board which is okay but I realize I like the stuff I've developed on pucker bends so developing a hybrid approach is the way to go for me. Being as I consider you one of my teachers this vid gives a kind of permission to incorporate the best of bother worlds into my own style. It would be great to see more on this subject. And that little tip on getting the harp back in the mouth when puckering for good tone is one of the reasons you're one of the top teachers around. Thanks again...
Great tips!
I have been a pucker player for many years and have only recently started to tongue block. You have helped me understand that I can incorporate tongue blocking without giving up puckering holes 1-3.
Ronnie, I really like the way you impart your skills into easy-to-understand phrasing.
Well done!
Thanks Ronnie , very helpful as always.
From one of your students at the petoskey harmonica blues retreat .
Excellent timing, Mr Shellist. Like the people who have already commented, I have also just started experimenting with tongue blocking this week. The pucker has served me well thus far, but I can definitely now see the benefits of mixing my technique up here and there. Happy New Year to ya' man and thank you very much for your excellent videos. Peace, Love and Harmonyca at y'all.
I just recently started playing the harmonica and I had always wondered if I could actually combine the two techniques into a great sound. This video helped me answer that question and with the few tips you have just shown me I can add it to my own arsenal of tricks for my harp playing- thank you Ronnie
Excellent and concise description of something that took me many years to realize and incorporate into my own playing. Cool stuff, Ronnie!
My favorite part of your videos is when you get distracted by something right in the middle - like the bright light shining in your eyes, or the one where the phone rings while you're talking. It's like a comedy routine.
happens every day
Good video Ronnie. I'm exactly the same, a pucker player who's come to tongue blocking over time but I still pucker on holes 1 - 3, on 95% of bends and also on faster runs. I've always felt that I should be aiming to tongue block everything but it's reassuring to hear that a player who get's great tone like yourself is switching between pucker and tongue blocking in a similar way. Thanks for the video.
Thanks Ronnie for a great video on this tropic. I've been playing pucker the first 10 years then next 14 years fully tongue blocking. My experience is that whether one uses pucker or tb the great tone is created in the throat area rather than in front of the mouth where the sound is thin.
yea, tongue blocking on the high notes has helped me get a clean attack sound on the holes 7 - 10. Ronnie, that’s a great switching exercise, BTW.
Great approach to mixing both play styles!! Certainly made me think about experimenting with tongue blocking to get a bigger sound :)
Thanks Ronnie...you are one amazing harp player....
Ronnie good info as always. I am just getting into TB. Blow notes are going well. Draw notes I have to work at. I started out u blocking, I wonder if the UB & TB will mix, like your pucker and TB. I need to work at pucker & TB. Good video. Keep them coming.
I started as a pucker player. Learned to do the basic octave block. But never worked at it. I'm starting to think I should.
perfect lesson Ronnie
You’re a genius Ronnie
Trying to go from all pucker to all tongue block.maybe I'll Try to stay anchored on the bottom with pucker and switch at the 4 hole.I thought that was cheating.But if you can do it I can too! Thanks
this helps a lot thanks ronnie
I picked up the harmonica for the first time last week. I had a breakthrough with bending yesterday and feel like I'm on my way. My question is: I've played saxophone for many years and I'm wondering if 'tongue blocking' is similar to 'tonguing' on the sax?
I played sax in high school so I thought the same thing. you may have figured this out already but this is what I myself have come up with. Sort of- Remember playing the sax you really have to tongue the reed to get it to vibrate to get a decent sound- sure you can blow into the thing and get some noise during note changes but the tone sounds way off if you don't hit the reed. It all depends on the type of style you end up playing. If you end up playing more melodies tongue blocking wont be similar because your not trying to make a distinguishing sound between the notes your playing- but if your going to be playing more first position blues- more leading riffs then it could because the notes and chords are more up front and you want them to have more punch. The more you practice the more you will able to choose by instinct- technique -and the strength of your blowing and inhaling what you will want in your sound with the tongue block technique- remember when you are playing harp your tongue does not physically touch the reed plates it helps you hit the notes that you want to.-hope that helps you
I’m the exact opposite.
TB 1-6 pucker 7-10
Im a motherpucker myself with occasional tongue blocking.
Trying to go from all pucker to all tongue block.maybe I'll Try to stay anchored on the bottom with pucker and switch at the 4 hole.I thought that was cheating.But if you can do it I can too! Thanks