I think back to when I first learned to play the piano. Practice,practice,practice. Then more practice. But when I played my first sonata note for note, wow what a feeling of accomplishment. Thank you for so many useful tips and videos. Health and prosperity to you and your family.
This is the best tongue-blocking tutorial I have ever seen. Jason starts by showing a single tongue slap on the three-hole draw, and then moves on to do the same thing on the three-hole draw, blow, draw riff. He follows up by demonstrating all kinds of variations of the same basic theme. The whole development is very natural - like watching someone who is trying to learn this technique on their own. For me, this is much more useful than watching a very polished instructional video on tongue blocking that doesn't really show all the experimentation, and trial and error, that is necessary to learn this technique . I also appreciated Jason's clear and persuasive explanation of why you would want to learn tongue blocking in the first place, aimed at those who learned to play the harmonica by lip pursing, and are perhaps not yet sold on the value of tongue blocking. This video makes it clear why tongue blocking is an essential technique for any harmonica player. Great video - thanks Jason!
At 6:58. "Boom Ba! Boom Bee! M'Bah!" That rhythm rocks. Revisiting this video after so many years. It shows how a "simple" thing, played right, sounds super cool. Thank you Sir Jason, Moon Cat Supreme!
Chicago Blues all the way ! I been stuck on that howlin wolf lately , I been trying to get that sound lip percing , in my opinon its impossible to get the same accents ! Your the best bro ! I play in the streets of Vegas , and i been working on my tongue blocking for a couple months! Its hard , but i love when i get into groove or a nice shuffle. The harp plays itself.. I learned alot with your use of vamping on the 3 draw , 4 blow , 3 draw / 3 bend etc lol ... Thats dope , im gonna work on that. I been watching you and gussow for 6 months , playing for almost a year .. Your right about these dark moments as a amature! Im going thru it right now , working on my chops but its coming along ! Thanks for the vid ,your impact is more than words can describe brother ; hope your recovery is going well . Take care !
Fantastic Jason... what a great video. You are right about taking it easy on yourself and not beating yourself up when starting out tongue blocking. For me, I have been playing on and off for 25 years as a lip purser I think... and am just beginning to discover the depth and breadth of potential for tongue blocking. I'm now trying to retrain my brain and muscles. It is worth the effort and it's starting to stick. Now when I pick up the harmonica my whole positioning is starting to change, including my attitude to the instrument itself. I think you can get a very different tone on 3, 2 and 1 as well because the single note, especially the bend is less direct.... as you said a more begging sound. You can almost choke it into submission whereas with pursing it's more binary, louder and more direct with less choke (for me that is). I love it and a whole new pandora box of harmonica pleasure seems to be opening. Thank you very much. P.S - Our cat has a sticky tongue too. Jonathan.
Hey Jason, what's good with you? Great lick/lesson. Regarding tongue blocking, a guy explained to me instead of trying to cover the holes themselves, to put the tip of the tongue between the holes on the comb. On the place that divides the holes on the comb, and it clicked for me, and worked finally. This way I wasn't trying so hard to focus on covering the hole itself but just placing the tongue on the spot between. It does the rest in its own. Hope that makes sense. Glad to see another video from you. Stay up!
Of all things tongue blocking I have come across so far this has been the most helpful. Seasoned with little golden flecks all across the lesson. Thanks Jason. I’m enjoying messing around with tongue blocking as you say.
That is awesome! As with most things once the work becomes FUN the progrewe starts to take off! i'm so happy this was helpful as tongue blocking IS fun and so many people make it SOOOOO important that it's easy to LOSE how FUN it can be to learn even when were not so great at it yet! God Bless!!!
@@jasonricci yeah there have been a lot of people I’ve heard talk about tongue blocking that honestly made me not want to even go there because they were so stuck up about it 😜. But alas I do love the sound of those slaps and after tinkering with them from time to time I’m happy with the sound coming out of the harp so its keeping the motivation meter high. God bless you too brother!
They are total snobs inadvertently working to actively turn more people against what they recommend... Shux that sounds like a lot of things right now...haaa
I really love the way you do that swivel to one size sometimes when you play, like a side-spitting of the sound, it's so cool. You are such an inspirational person and the way you share your knowledge is awesome. I'm currently trying to get my tongue-block bend on hole two to the same level as a puckered hole two and it's a killer. Thanks for such a brilliant lesson.
My method of effectively tongue blocking is by not using either side of my tongue. If i pretend there are numbers stamped on the bottom cover plate, the edge of my tongue - right where the tastebuds stop and it gets smooth is right about where those numbers would be. the very edge of the reedplate is about a comb thickness back onto the tastebuds. I create a bit of a bowl around the hole The same thing applies getting way up into the attic. Admittedly the bends upstairs require me to purse. Please give it a shot for awhile.
Been playing pursed for around three years, last two months have been having TB lessons with Paul Gillings so as to phat out my playing. This video is great Jason, helped me a lot, thank you.
HOLY SHIT!!! I just tried the throat bend, and I simply COULD...first try! If anything, my trouble is overshooting the half step. Thank you so much for this bitchin' new gift. It's going to make the bottom octave in 3rd position so much cleaner! Seriously, Jason...as usual..."Thank you," just doesn't even begin to describe my gratitude! Now, my only problem is that, on the tongue blocked 4B, I keep getting an octave rather than the single note. I think I know the fix (tongue shape); I just have to woodshed it a bit more. Can't wait to apply this to the intro on "Pride and Joy". Did I mention, "Thank you!!!"?
Thanks for this video. It came just as I am starting to learn TB. I have a lot to learn, but off to a good start. This video gives me some good stuff to work on. Rhythm being the big thing for me to work on. Many thanks Jason. Please post more on tongue blocking & keep rocking.
Awesome as always. Thanks.... Right on time, too. Just lately I've been trying tongue blocking along with the "normal" lip pursing. Whole new world. Thx again
Good TBing lesson. I use both it took me years to get use to TBing it just didn't feel right at first after being a pucker player since day one. now I don't know how I played with out it. Still can't blow bend TBing I have to purse those. How about some more blues stories videos love those. Love the lessons too man.
Thanks Jason. As an aspiring player, you have to have good fundamentals and this lesson hit on an important one. Love to see more lessons on fundamentals like this. I've watched a few of your youtube lessons and must say you have a gift for teaching; you explain things very well and I find your lessons very helpful. So thanks again & see you at Moondoggies next month. Stay well. P.S. I like your new website; it is very slick and well done but do miss the personal touch your old website had; Blues Stories and such. I understand the need to be well presented and professional but don't leave out the personal touch. Thanks.
I know that this may sound a bit weird, but I tongue blocked from day one, due to not getting a clean note with lip pursing. I even learned my first bends that way, and only moved to Lb'ing later. Now when I teach the occasional beginner harp lesson, I am struck by how difficult it seems for some people. I'm grateful that I kind of came to it bass ackwards. I do recommend sticking to it as it makes playing octaves easier and also adds flavor to move between both techniques during a solo. For me, who sometimes has trouble with high notes in a solo, it allows me to feel the hole with my tongue and get a clear shot at it. I hope that helps anyone who is unsure whether to try it or not.
Great advice! Thanks! I was fortunate like you it came totally natural to me as well. Right from the the start I was hooked. For those who prefer pursing and that works for them that’s great as well. The. Harmonica is just an amazing instrument.
Great easy to understand explanation of technique that sounds awesome as you always do. Thank You so much for continuing to do videos and teach to help for the future of harp players to advance to higher levels of play, Your videos make it easier to understand and save a little bit or a lot of fustration compared to trying learning it through trial and much error doing it yourself. Glad to have met you my friend. I as many others can honestly say I cant Thank You enough for what you do. HARP DEIM
Man of man the dreaded tongue block…. Lol. It feels like I’m staring over!! Heck why does growth have to run in parallel with change!! Ps. My tongue is tired… lol.
Hey dude really love the vids! Great teaching technique and of course you rip haha. Did you end up uploading a video on the accents? Are you just exhaling into 123 after the second 3 draw to hit the 4 beat?
One detail remained unclear to me: when you blow hole 4 does your tongue actually cover holes 1, 2 and 3 or is hole 1 being blocked by the corner of your mouth? Invaluable lesson, thank you for so much!
I want to ask you about the problem in the second hole in the Harmonica Diatonic key C. Have you ever found it difficult to blow and draw on the second hole? How do you overcome it?
You've really inspired me to try to develop some tongue blocking skills but I'm struggling with bending at the same time. I find that controlling the air pressure required to apply the bend interferes with my tongue's mobility - but once my tongue is against the mouthpiece I can then hit the bend by opening my throat. When you hit the 3 draw bend, are you engaging the bend before the tongue slap or only once it is in place?
Did this happened? I think i sort of got the tongue blocking but been struggling trying to find out how you kind of beat box something on it. Almost spit my lungs out trying to get something but no success on it. Thanks Jason you're just inspiring. True legend!
This might be a newbie question. When I do tongue blocking, I always seem to get my saliva into the holes at some point. Is there any tip on preventing it from happening?
Thats totally NORMAL! That use to happen me to me all the time at first too....As you get use to doing it the saliva starts to go way and the reeds dont get stuck as much ...Keep at it
fun? how is this fun? I've got a cut on the corner of my mouth, I've trimmed the comb, I've used it to write a song I can't play yet - and I've got the tongue thing down to use on something completely different - but I still haven't got it, after a week. man. wtf?
Hey Charlie! Don't get too frustrated. Your NOT alone! MANY MANY people struggle with learning a new embouchure half way through it's VERY normal. I think the key to this tongue blocking thing is starting simple (not bending) then falling in love with the sound it produces and the way it feels. Once you develop a love for it it's starts to be more fun and thus gets easier. So be easy on yourself, take your time, relax and know that ALL your hard work will pay off eventually!