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Much appreciation to you, Tomlin for your generosity to the harmonica community. Been following you for 3+ years.

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you :-)

Thanks Tomlin. Had been worrying about tongue blocking below 4 note. This answers my question! Love your work!

As a beginner I wasn't sure if I should start with tongue blocking or puckering, you cleared that up telling us we can do both.

Finally! Been looking for videos and your explanation of using the top meaty part of the tongue and not the tip was very helpful! Thanks so much!

I learned tongue blocking many years ago, but it got me into sloppy bad habits. Happy to use both methods to achieve clean notes. Many thanks for the lesson. Awesome sounding harp by the way.👍

I enjoyed this lesson Tomlin. I have been working on Tongue Blocking for about 18 months I guess. I enjoy playing this way, but still things to learn and things to get better at. So goes my journey. Keep the videos coming.

Thank you, Tomlin, for this TB technique lesson!

Great lesson Tomlin I'm a beginner harmonica player and TB was new to me and after this lesson I can TB that's amazing thanks for this lesson !!

Nice class bro’. Thank you for that and keep sharing

Thanks for everything you do

Thanks Tomlin, excellent lesson 👍👏

Excelent masterclass thanks

Yes. This lessons is for me ! :-)

Great explanation as always 👍

Nice lesson, Tomlin. I started pursing but incorporated TB about three years ago. For certain things it sounds great, especially for slow solos and for some rhythm work like vamping. I think a good mix of both is best :) Cheers!

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

I totally agree :-)

Very nice explanation sir. Thanks sir.

Excellent! I'm really impressed with the sound quality of your harp, also. Keep up the good work!

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks James!

@casualcookin3893

2 жыл бұрын

What kind of harp is this i got blues harp in the key of E but it sounds nothing like that

👍 einfach erklärt! nice thx

Another great lesson Tomlin. Never really worked at younger blocking but this video has inspired me to try harder. Thanks Mike Higgins

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Excellent to hear Mike!

Beautiful channel very nice update good morning have a good day

Love the wine rack, I've got one just the same! Never seen another one until this video. Video is great too!

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Derek - my father-in-law made it for us. :-)

@boystone

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomlinHarmonica I'm pretty sure he didn't make mine, unless he has a production line! LOL

Brilliant, ideal for me :)

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Good to hear!

i came here to learn tongue blocking, i got the idea that i should make such a wine rack! (it is also good to hear that it is possible to play not blocking :p)

Very good. The issue for me is switching from LP to TB and vice-versa, especially when bends are required (as I cannot bend in TB). :)

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Practice practice practice :)

Thanks, Tomlin. I'd love to see an instructional video by you on Lip Pursing for Tongue Blockers (esp. concerning bending). Thanks! :-)

@CanItAlready

4 жыл бұрын

I've just got to ask--how do you bend while tongue blocking? I'm a lip purser and can't figure out how it would be done.

@tshanahan22

4 жыл бұрын

Good question. I started out tongue blocking, have become fairly proficient at that, but can't manage to bend properly using tongue blocking. I've recently begun working on lip pursing, can bend THAT way, but can't play worth a damn using lip pursing. If you find a solution to this dilemma, let me know! Tim

@CanItAlready

4 жыл бұрын

tshanahan22 Hopefully Tomlin won't mind me linking to a Lee Sankey video here. I came across one where he explains how to bend while tongue blocking. kzread.info/dash/bejne/kX-DpLiEhM6-ncY.html

@tshanahan22

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, C#. That's a great video. I'm applying the ideas there and while I can't yet properly bend with tongue blocking, at least I have a better idea of how to go about accomplishing that feat.

Hey Tomlin i was wondering. Some people told me my harmonica isnt quality (expensive) enough to do draw bends on it. Its a Hohner happy harp blue C. Ur opinion?

Wow! I thought tongue blocking was the normal way. Im a complete beginner and im practicing tongue blocking. Should i continue this path?

@trushilshah703

4 жыл бұрын

Yes

@smoothie2629

4 жыл бұрын

Tongue blocking sounds super cool and bluesy if you get it right. Lip puckering should also be learned, though, because it allows for better bending (maybe I'm also just too bad to be able to bend when tongue blocking)

Lesson 3:08

hey I have that same pillow

WOWWWW

On bending with tongue blocking , do I bend note first then slap my tongue on the hole or how ??

Hey man, I'm brazilian, I began to study tongue blocking although I'm not a good lip purser, you've helped me a lot with your lessons. I still have many problems with bending techniques, how much time do you think I have to pratice until I can finally master as you do?

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

HI Brendon - that is quite subjective. I've been playing for nearly 13 years but I have some students who have been playing for a year who are better than me. It all depends on the person. I'm pretty slow at learning...

Thanks, Tomlin... just getting into TB. I have a question; at what point should I switch from blocking the right side holes to blocking the left side holes? Thanks.

@TomlinHarmonica

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Chuck, to be honest I only block the right side holes when I'm playing hole 1. Cheers, T

I'm decent at this, though I have to practice moving from note to note more smoothly. Thanks for this lesson. One question: I find it very hard, though not impossible, to bend notes while tongue blocking because it feels different to condense space on the side your mouth instead of the center. Did you find this a challenge when you first started tongue blocking? Just curious. Thanks again for this lesson and so much more!

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

I did but I now find that the TB bends are easier than pursed ones.

@jordanmoss3643

5 жыл бұрын

Oh, interesting. Thanks! @@TomlinHarmonica

Tomlin, I've started watching your videos since day before yesterday and I've been hooked to your videos. I'm bent on learning the harmonica for some time now and will be getting my first harmonica in a few days(will get a Hohner special 20 I guess). What will you suggest me to go for? Tongue blocking or lip pursing? I understand that it's subjective according to everyone but if you would be asked to choose one for a beginner solely based on your experience, which would you suggest? Thank you in advance. :)

@theraven6836

5 жыл бұрын

S. K. I started off as a lip purser and then signed up for Dave Barrett’s online course. He teaches tongue blocking from the get-go. Having played both, IMHO there is no comparison: learn tongue blocking. It has nearly all the benefits of lip pursing plus way way more texture and chord combinations than lip pursing. Start with TB and you won’t regret it.

@s.k.12

5 жыл бұрын

@@theraven6836 This is exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks for the reply.

@theraven6836

5 жыл бұрын

S. K. Oh, and the Special 20 is fantastic.

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Personally I would still recommend lip pursing to start with...

@s.k.12

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomlinHarmonicaUpdate. One day with the harmonica. Absolutely love it! I definitely want to go ahead with trying to master it. I tried out all three : 1) pursing 2)tongue blocking 3)u-tongue thing. I found the third one easiest but I'm going for pursing as of now. I can get single tones but moving is a bit problematic for me now . I guess that'll go as I put in more time. So all's well and I'm enjoying it so much!! Thanks again Tomlin for inspiring me to learn the harmonica!

💞

Tomlin or whoever reads this, please help. Update from before. I've started learning the harmonica 5 days ago and I don't understand how you position your mouth. As of now, I'm going for lip pursing and all I can do to keep proper position on a single hole is to either guess from the sound or to go for u-tongue thing or from muscle memory. Is there a sure shot way of knowing where you are or is it all down to muscle memory afterall?

@felipeloza3114

5 жыл бұрын

Check his top 5 beguiner's mistakes video

Hiiii....Sir... please...at full bending in hole 2 what is the position of the tongue? give a tutorial please, thanks

@TomlinHarmonica

4 жыл бұрын

Here you go - kzread.info/dash/bejne/aIWJpspyhpfWdrg.html

Ein tolles Lehrvideo. Vielen lieben Dank. Auch wenn ich das Tounge Blocking sehr schwer finde. Spiele sehe viel und sehe gerne, jedoch halt nur mit der Lippe. Klappt aber sehr gut. Aber ich werde es immer wieder versuchen. Hoffe es klappt. Dann kann man noch mehr auf der chromatic Nonslider heraus holen. Viele Grüße von der Nordseeküste Manuel Nochmals vielen herzlichen Dank. 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍 Du bist ein TOP Lehrer. 👍😃

Hey! Im trying to learn tongue blocking, and i can sort of play single notes, but when i start moving the harmonica to hit different holes my tongue moves with it, this causes to open up the hole which i blow through so i play multiple notes, and not the ones i want. Do you have any tips on how i have to move the harmonica? Like do i take my tongue off of it every time i move it? CHeers!

@TomlinHarmonica

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Alex, this is totally normal at the beginning. You will need to keep your tongue on the harmonica while you move the harp but make sure that it stays in the right place. To fix the issue you will probably need to really slow down how you are practicing it :-)

@TheEliteCrash

4 жыл бұрын

@@TomlinHarmonica thanks! I had the feeling no one really covered this problem in their video's. So i got the feeling i did something wrong haha. Thanks again and keep up the good lessons

So I am attempting to learn to TB because after a long session of pursing I will develop a raw kinda blister on the left side of my mouth on my lip from sliding the harp side to side. I'm no pro so maybe it's bad technique. Anyone else ever have this issue?

Ok; after my giving thought to the harmonica that happens to having had been the likely first of instruments of my discovering that of creations that having being of thoughts; as easily could these evolve within (a) projected system(s) and just as respectfully and if as it likely the most of accurate of our tool; our mouth; and I use the word mouth instead of voice(s); because of it's possible use of it within a workings of conjunctions with other instruments. Ok so my story is that I played when I was about 5 or 6 or 7 or 8 or 9??? LOL but what happened was that most of my uncles played the guitars and sang and my Grandmother; the Violin, the Guitar and mostly the Accordion and my Grandfather always played the double sided harmonica and I'm not convinced that he always or if anytime at all; used methods of staying in key and I may be totally wrong though.LOL One day; I may get some heck from one of these uncles. LOLWell aanyway; I became a drummer as a primary instrument and of way more of dedicated of time spent on it; but had done the guitars; classical electrics(a few of those) and keyboaard. But once there was this time that buddies were jamming while partying and I had grabbed the harmonica on the table and started soloing to every song and it didn't matter what key the it may had been in or not because I play the whole of it and without a concern in the world and I had forgotten about my being able to play it as such and maybe one day; I'll show you all on video; I make it become my voice and it seems that it just isn't enough of just that alone for me but those whom were there at that one night; didn't stop starring and listening to these solos or whatever I was doing within that jamming. A harmonica should have automatic changes or buttons or something instead of using our tongues or that other method.

Wow 500 views 65 likes and 0 dislike not a bad ratio

👏👏👏👏👏👏😎

Great lesson, Tomlin! But -- and I hope this isn't too stupid -- what's wrong with a Manji out of the box? Like, is it still a Manji after it's tampered with like that?

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

I don't think there is anything wrong with a Manji out of the box. I was gifted the harmonica by a student and think it is great but I wouldn't necessarily buy a custom Manji myself.

@landztranz

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomlinHarmonica Thanks so much! I think that's going to be my next purchase. BTW, Tomlin, would you happen to know if Hohners are cheaper in Germany? If that's too general a question, I apologize. My son's in Berlin, and I've been thinking about a Crossover, too.

I ended up with a harp full of spit. Think I'll stick to lip pursing.

@boystone

5 жыл бұрын

After a while with tongue blocking your mouth realises that you are not trying to eat something and the saliva dries up. Had the same issue initially but now the soaking with spit thing is a thing of the past.

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

Very good point Derek!

I am a beginner, maybe int-beg - using lip pursing, following a lot of your lessons. I am finding it very difficult to play the hihgher notes on any harmonica - 8,9, 10. Often getting no sound at all. However, if i try a (very rudimentary toungue block) i find it much easier to get a proper note to sound. Is this a common thing? Anyone else finding this? Is it stupid to eveolve a technique of switching to TB for the higher notes (even as an temprorary technique while i try to improve all round)?

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

This would suggest that you are sucking rather than breathing naturally. Try relaxing your tongue when you play so that you don't channel the air under pressure. :-)

/lihb

Why am I rolling my tongue

You have a not very good sound extraction with a blocking tongue, the tongue interferes with the flow of air, the sound is clamped a little.

@Blue_3rd

5 жыл бұрын

Andrew Williams Harmonica actually, if you tongue block correctly, that is not the case. A properly tongue blocked note will usually have a fuller sound than a pursed note, although there are exceptions, of course. There is a lot of debate and even argument about this, but one thing is for sure, the tongue definitely does not interfere with the air flow, even when bending notes. Cheers!

@andrewwilliamsharmonica

5 жыл бұрын

@@Blue_3rd I am only saying that the author of the video does not have a very good extraction with this technique. For example, when he plays 4 hole, you can hear that the sound is not sufficiently free, clamped down. this is fact!

@TomlinHarmonica

5 жыл бұрын

I will get back on the practice :-)

@andrewwilliamsharmonica

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomlinHarmonica 👍Respect!