I started out as a lip purser and I still play the majority of my songs lip pursed, but I also do a little bit of tongue blocking and even U-blocking. I grew up listening to a lot of country players growing up and the main embouchre style of the approach to country harmonica in the 90s and 2000s was lip-pursing. I loved Terry McMillan's sound the most as not only was his tone very powerful but I loved the way he controlled the sound of his bends like sustaining them and slowly bringing them back up, adding vibrato and growls to them, and using them as a part of his warbles and double stops. He really knew how to express himself with that tiny instrument, and he was almost exclusively a lip purser sans for a few octaves (mainly the 3/6 blow). Listen to his harmonica performance of the song "Mississippi Moon" on the album, "Sounds of the Mississippi" on TH-cam to hear what I mean. He's more in a jazz setting for that song but it really showed how expressive his style was, even for a studio harmonica player. Even when I was told that I needed to be a full-time tongue blocker by many people on Facebook because according to themselves, "it adds more expression" or that "lip pursing is very limiting and causes wrinkles" (it's usually from people who only play traditional Chicago blues or from those who never learned to lip pursed), I knew tongue blocking 100% of the time wouldn't fit my style. In my opinion, I find tongue blocking to be extremely limiting. I can't bend above 3 draw with it, I can't blow bend with it, I can't growl with it, and I have a lot less expression overall from my tongue being on the harmonica 24/7/365. Sure you learn more techniques, but more techniques don't always mean more expression. I can do U-blocking on the upper register for blow bends, but it's different from regular tongue blocking. For years, I was made to feel like I could never be a "real" harmonica player, let alone a blues player, because I'm a lip purser who could hardly tongue block. But hearing people like Paul Butterfield, Corky Siegel, and Junior Wells playing lip pursed on blues records were very eye opening to me.
So, way back in the 1960's and seventies, when I started playing the harmonica, if you bought a Hohner Marine Band, it came with an instruction sheet that taught tongue blocking. I found that lip pursing to be harder, but do able. There is a young lady from China, who plays harmonica, and she has some instructional videos where she teaches lip pursing. I guess I will end up being a hybrid player.
I tongue block every thang heh, and you're right it's super hard to get really fast articulation. I've recently started to put some lip pursing in practice. It sounds bad now but thats what practice is for. and worth it in the end I'm sure. Thanks for all you do
Thanks! I especially love the advice of picking one that works for you as a beginner (in my case lip pursing - I recently was able to play happy birthday tongue blocking but it was a challenge) and sticking with it for a while
I started out as a lip purser and I still play the majority of my songs lip pursed, but I also do a little bit of tongue blocking and even U-blocking. I grew up listening to a lot of country players growing up and the main embouchre style of the approach to country harmonica in the 90s and 2000s was lip-pursing. I loved Terry McMillan's sound the most as not only was his tone very powerful but I loved the way he controlled the sound of his bends like sustaining them and slowly bringing them back up, adding vibrato and growls to them, and using them as a part of his warbles and double stops. He really knew how to express himself with that tiny instrument, and he was almost exclusively a lip purser sans for a few octaves (mainly the 3/6 blow). Listen to his harmonica performance of the song "Mississippi Moon" on the album, "Sounds of the Mississippi" on TH-cam to hear what I mean. He's more in a jazz setting for that song but it really showed how expressive his style was, even for a studio harmonica player.
Even when I was told that I needed to be a full-time tongue blocker by many people on Facebook because according to themselves, "it adds more expression" or that "lip pursing is very limiting and causes wrinkles" (it's usually from people who only play traditional Chicago blues or from those who never learned to lip pursed), I knew tongue blocking 100% of the time wouldn't fit my style. In my opinion, I find tongue blocking to be extremely limiting. I can't bend above 3 draw with it, I can't blow bend with it, I can't growl with it, and I have a lot less expression overall from my tongue being on the harmonica 24/7/365. Sure you learn more techniques, but more techniques don't always mean more expression. I can do U-blocking on the upper register for blow bends, but it's different from regular tongue blocking. For years, I was made to feel like I could never be a "real" harmonica player, let alone a blues player, because I'm a lip purser who could hardly tongue block. But hearing people like Paul Butterfield, Corky Siegel, and Junior Wells playing lip pursed on blues records were very eye opening to me.
WOW !! 🤠
So, way back in the 1960's and seventies, when I started playing the harmonica, if you bought a Hohner Marine Band, it came with an instruction sheet that taught tongue blocking. I found that lip pursing to be harder, but do able. There is a young lady from China, who plays harmonica, and she has some instructional videos where she teaches lip pursing. I guess I will end up being a hybrid player.
hi, would you mind tech how to play the part from 8:40 to 8:50,thanks
I tongue block every thang heh, and you're right it's super hard to get really fast articulation. I've recently started to put some lip pursing in practice. It sounds bad now but thats what practice is for. and worth it in the end I'm sure. Thanks for all you do
Thanks for the video. And that is a cool looking comb.
Thanks! I especially love the advice of picking one that works for you as a beginner (in my case lip pursing - I recently was able to play happy birthday tongue blocking but it was a challenge) and sticking with it for a while
Great topic today Tomlin. I want to learn more tongue blocking better. 😊
Hey 👋 Tomlin.
Good advice, I agree everyone who wants to play harp properly & to a good standard should try both.
Good video, thanks.
🏴🎼🎶🎵🎶😁👍
Can you please put the tabs for 8:30,thats very cool😎
Hiya, I'm afraid I was just improvising so there are no tabs :-(
Thanks T!
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Do you still lip pursing hole 1-3 and tongue blocking 4 and uppers as you said in your 6 years old video back in the day regarding same topic :) ?
I wonder we do not call it Lip Blocking? Tongue blocking is very cool, but I can’t get a good bend. It drives me crazy.
A very good video Tomlin.
Tongue blocking has as it's focus the holes blocked, lip pursing or puckering focus on the target hole. That's my take anyway.
yes lip blocking is much better terminology :-)
I learned tongue blocking years ago. However, it's hard to bend that way. I've started learning pursing
❤