Very nice video regarding the harmonica (octaves). The business about navigating between octaves requiring 2 and then 3 holes blocked was very informative and interesting. I need to pull back on watching all your videos and start working on your lessons. Again...Good stuff.
Really awesome video! The thing you said about the top end of the harp being scary, well that really applies to me. I've been delaying my learning process the last few months, really only using the holes 1 to 6. I've been using octaves a lot too lately, but after seing your video, and seeing how you use octaves on the higher end of the harmonica, you've motivated me to take the leap, thanks for that. :)
Thanks for another great instructional video! Your videos are always some of the most well-organized, well-themed, and useful harp instruction one can find on TH-cam, and this one is no exception! Incorporating octaves is definitely a skill I need to work on, so I'm especially grateful you made this video! Now, I'm on to the next one! Cheers, ~Isaac
Lee, I have been practicing to play the low register scale on my key of C harp. What a difference between lip purse and tongue block. With tongue block, the relationship with the harp is almost intimate. I have only been working with single notes, not octaves or chords, but any of my few lip purse tunes I now practice with tongue block. Thanks for a working strategy.
This is fantastic. It's interesting to hear how you've been getting on and what you've been trying. I'm glad that you see how using tongue blocking changes the way you connect to the harp. Ha ha, I know what you mean about trying to bend. Sometimes you think the harp is broken so you need to check with lip pursing. Tongue block bends are hard, but practise and you'll get them eventually. One day they will become second nature. Thanks for posting this story, Lee
Nice comment. I totally understand the tendency to 'stay safe' in the bottom octave of the harp but to make the most of the instrument you obviously have to conquer its whole range. Nothing to worry about. The notes are the same but laid out differently. You also have to treat the reeds differently as they're shorter and more delicate. Lee
Thanks for watching Ira, there are many more lessons on my channel and I offer courses on Vimeo. My content isn't generally aimed at beginners as they are well catered for on TH-cam. Most of my lessons require some level of existing technique/experience. Cheers, Lee
@isaacullah Hi Issac, wow high praise indeed given how many people are posting harp tutorials. Thanks for posting such a nice comment. Good to hear that the videos are helpful. Octaves are definitely worth integrating into your playing. The actual core technique isn't that hard really, the tricky bits are knowing how to use them tastefully and navigating between octaves requiring 2 and then 3 holes blocked. Worth the effort. Lee
@NappingPup Cheers! Yep smoothly transitioning between 2 and 3 hole gaps takes some work. Thanks for your interest and yes watching TH-cam, is not a substitute for actual playing and practise! Warm regards, Lee
@arthur1062 Hello Arthur good to hear from you. You already know how to play octaves well, this scale might provide a variation to practise though. Lee
Lee- How do you get that popping, percussive sound, that sounds like it's coming from the low end? Is it just from tongue slapping, because it sounds more percussive. Thanks for the great videos. PapaJim
Is there any principal for tongue position?I mean should I use the tip of my tongue or upper side or the back side of my tongue or what I find more easier?pls let me know...
great lesson lee"if you listen to william clarke with a tear in my eye he uses those octaves all the way up to blow 9 so any one trying to figure it out there it is Bb harp
Hello, thank you for your video! I am a beginner, I just bought a standard diatonic harmonica in the key of B because I would like to learn to play a song in the key of F# (thus playing the harmonica in second position). It seems to me that the harmonica in the song which I want to learn (Bad Obsession by Guns N' Roses) is transposed one octave up, i.e. the F# on 3 hole blow sounds higher than in my harmonica. Do you think that the harmonica in the song is a different one or maybe there's a technique to obtain that sound which I am missing?
One additional comment. It was not straightforward to pull, hold, or warble a bend, even on 4 draw, at first. It was so much easier to lip purse the bend, just to prove the harp was ok, and then go back to tongue block and practice. Seems you can just honk the harp, with lip purse, but you need better control and appreciation for embouchure, and breathing too, to be successful with tongue block.
Very nice video regarding the harmonica (octaves). The business about navigating between octaves requiring 2 and then 3 holes blocked was very informative and interesting. I need to pull back on watching all your videos and start working on your lessons. Again...Good stuff.
Combination of tongue slapping, tone baby and a tonne of practise. Thanks, Lee
Really awesome video! The thing you said about the top end of the harp being scary, well that really applies to me. I've been delaying my learning process the last few months, really only using the holes 1 to 6. I've been using octaves a lot too lately, but after seing your video, and seeing how you use octaves on the higher end of the harmonica, you've motivated me to take the leap, thanks for that. :)
Thanks for another great instructional video! Your videos are always some of the most well-organized, well-themed, and useful harp instruction one can find on TH-cam, and this one is no exception! Incorporating octaves is definitely a skill I need to work on, so I'm especially grateful you made this video! Now, I'm on to the next one!
Cheers,
~Isaac
Lee, I have been practicing to play the low register scale on my key of C harp. What a difference between lip purse and tongue block. With tongue block, the relationship with the harp is almost intimate. I have only been working with single notes, not octaves or chords, but any of my few lip purse tunes I now practice with tongue block. Thanks for a working strategy.
This is fantastic. It's interesting to hear how you've been getting on and what you've been trying. I'm glad that you see how using tongue blocking changes the way you connect to the harp. Ha ha, I know what you mean about trying to bend. Sometimes you think the harp is broken so you need to check with lip pursing. Tongue block bends are hard, but practise and you'll get them eventually. One day they will become second nature. Thanks for posting this story, Lee
Well done Lee.
Nice comment. I totally understand the tendency to 'stay safe' in the bottom octave of the harp but to make the most of the instrument you obviously have to conquer its whole range. Nothing to worry about. The notes are the same but laid out differently. You also have to treat the reeds differently as they're shorter and more delicate. Lee
Love it! Thank you very much for sharing your expertise.
Thank you so much. You made it possible. Will work on it for sure.
Hi Dita, glad the video helped explained this technique to you.
Excellent. Thank you
Thanks for watching Ira, there are many more lessons on my channel and I offer courses on Vimeo. My content isn't generally aimed at beginners as they are well catered for on TH-cam. Most of my lessons require some level of existing technique/experience. Cheers, Lee
@@leesankeygroup perfect
Treasure trove ! Thanks Lee !
Hey Mike, a pleasure, good to see my videos still helping players out there. Cheers, Lee
@isaacullah Hi Issac, wow high praise indeed given how many people are posting harp tutorials. Thanks for posting such a nice comment. Good to hear that the videos are helpful. Octaves are definitely worth integrating into your playing. The actual core technique isn't that hard really, the tricky bits are knowing how to use them tastefully and navigating between octaves requiring 2 and then 3 holes blocked. Worth the effort. Lee
good to know, cheers, Lee
@NappingPup Cheers! Yep smoothly transitioning between 2 and 3 hole gaps takes some work. Thanks for your interest and yes watching TH-cam, is not a substitute for actual playing and practise! Warm regards, Lee
Hi Lee,
Great lesson, thank you very much for your work
Friendly :
Steph.
@arthur1062 Hello Arthur good to hear from you. You already know how to play octaves well, this scale might provide a variation to practise though. Lee
Lee-
How do you get that popping, percussive sound, that sounds like it's coming from the low end? Is it just from tongue slapping, because it sounds more percussive. Thanks for the great videos.
PapaJim
@flstf2k Cheers for watching!
Thank you thank you!!!
Brilliant.
@Cariolatto Thanks!
@nestani13 Glad you found it useful. Lee
@Tsutsomu Thanks Steph, I'd say watch the follow-up video to this one, but see you already have. Lee
Is there any principal for tongue position?I mean should I use the tip of my tongue or upper side or the back side of my tongue or what I find more easier?pls let me know...
great lesson lee"if you listen to william clarke with a tear in my eye he uses those octaves all the way up to blow 9 so any one trying to figure it out there it is Bb harp
Very good
Hello, thank you for your video! I am a beginner, I just bought a standard diatonic harmonica in the key of B because I would like to learn to play a song in the key of F# (thus playing the harmonica in second position). It seems to me that the harmonica in the song which I want to learn (Bad Obsession by Guns N' Roses) is transposed one octave up, i.e. the F# on 3 hole blow sounds higher than in my harmonica. Do you think that the harmonica in the song is a different one or maybe there's a technique to obtain that sound which I am missing?
needed that!!
Cool, thanks for posting!
Thank you！
Awesome thank u
Thanks, are you using octaves now?
Cheers
Outdamnstanding
One additional comment. It was not straightforward to pull, hold, or warble a bend, even on 4 draw, at first. It was so much easier to lip purse the bend, just to prove the harp was ok, and then go back to tongue block and practice. Seems you can just honk the harp, with lip purse, but you need better control and appreciation for embouchure, and breathing too, to be successful with tongue block.