Tongue Blocking from a Lip Purser (HARMONICA) 001.
(Ab harp in Eb cross) A skewed and blatantly biased over view of the wonderful, mythical and often dogmatic world of tongue blocking from a Lip Purser's thin toned point of view. Tongue blocking is achieved by covering holes with your tongue and voicing the target note out of either corner of your mouth(usually right), Lip pursing is achieved by pursing your lips and making a small hole with your mouth.
If you have loved, enjoyed, learned or benefitted from these videos please feel free to visit www.paypal.com and donate within your budget anything to jasonricci1@gmail.com These videos ARE free and are intended to always remain that way, however all donations do help very much as I am no longer currently touring and making my living off of etching alone do not feel obligated. Thank you all so very much!
Пікірлер: 73
Thanks for the great video(s) - parts one and two. I've been a lip purser for decades but now I want to learn tongue blocking and overblows so I can continue to grow as a musician. Your video was very helpful. Now I just have to head to the woodshed!
@paulcook68
2 жыл бұрын
Just wondering how you sound now? 1 year later?!
Thank you sir! There is definitly much to be learned from everyone and everywhere! thanks for watching! J
Hey Jason, I recently started a discussion on a harmonica FB page on tongue-blocking vs. lip-pursing, and I agree with you, it's better to learn both. I'm primarily a lip purser who uses tongue-blocking for octaves and pull-slap percussions. The more tools you have in your tool box, the better!
Thanks for watching they are the same! just differant terms for the same thing. J
Dear Jason, Hats off to you man !!!!! I am from India, novice player and I don't have words to appreciate your contribution towards the harmonica community. I am a great fan of yours. You've got extraordinary command over the harp !! Love to watch your videos over and over again. keyur
I'm a violinist, who is trying to get better on diatonic harmonica. I really like these videos. I have an Ab harmonica. Works for me.
Jason- thank you for being so generous with your time and talents. These videos are immensely helpful. Like you, I've been a lip purser all my life, and only in recent years discovered tongue blocking. It freaks me out- feels like starting all over again! Your video really helped. Also got a lot out of your session on chordal vamping- totally demystified the subject! By the way, your playing goes a long way to dispelling the argument that pursing is inferior to TBing. Rock on!
What a great perspective on tongue blocking! I was always in the lip purser camp & only started T-blocking last yr cos, on those rare occasions I meet other harp players, they've indeed passionately put forward their tongues in defense. I've been trying to T-block everything for the last 6 months or so & while it's given me a great grounding I prefer mixing it up for said reasons in that vid. It's nice to hear a more balanced run through of it all... well, balanced to my ears of course!
Thank you so much glad to help.
Tongue blocking should be separated into two areas: using the tongue to cover holes to one side, to cleanly play a single note, and using the tongue to cover and uncover one or more holes to play a rhythmic chording to expand the musical expressiveness of a song. Early on I thought the only way to get single notes was tongue blocking, and the habit led to a very tight, effortful method that pinched my tones into a shallow, thin reedy sound; the only way to open up the chest and throat for deeper resonances is to relax, and while tongue blockers learn how to do this, it did not help my learning. Relearning lip blocking, relaxed narrowing of the lower inner lip to control notes, is harder to master, but avoids the pitfalls of narrow pursing - again, thin, reedy, harsher tones that can be used creatively (think Sonny Terry or Charlie McCoy) but which can limit tonal range if it is the only method you have in your toolbox to hit clean notes.
Jason, you're a very good educator.
I'll get on the OB lesson soon! thanks for the suggestion! j
Jason, you've don a great job o describing tongue blocking to this pucker player. I'm determined to learn it, thank you so much. You are amazing!
Jason, great teaching video ! (and player)...never imagined or considered bending notes with tongue blocking. It felt weird the first time I tried it, but it gives such a nice tone as you said. never knew about this....learning so much from KZread blues clips like this one and from other great players...cheers and thank you...I see you have a bunch more...cool
One thing to remember on the tongue-blocking tone vs. lip-pursing tone argument is that (at least in my experience) becoming proficient in tongue blocking should help improve your depth of tone on lip pursing as well. As a matter of fact, learning to overblow did the same thing for me -- once I got a handle on it, my tone improved no matter what technique I used.
Love your attitude, your skill and your sharing. Well done as usual. Thanks. Jay (jaysblues)
Jason I have watched this video a few times. I play by U blocking. I am just starting to try to Tongue Block. I have a lot of work to do to get the TB, but will be trying. Thanks for the video.
@jasonricci
7 жыл бұрын
Did you keep at it? Hows it going?
Hey J, you sound fantastic no matter how you play. Im amazed how you can move on the harp like you do and i know thats from years of pratice and doing scales. Thanks Rusty B.
Thanks! I was trying to figure out some Chicago Blues stuff that required like a tongue slapping on the low end and for the life of me.... then I found this KZread and Whammo. Awesome rhythm with 1 draw, 2 blow, 3 draw, 3 blow. Slapping it out. I sound like Little Walter! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
Jason, good stuff. A few comments. The Ab harp? If you had used an A, the most folks learning this stuff could play along. If someone's got an Ab, they're likely beyond tongue blocking. And next time you hear someone say that lip pursing produces thin tone, have them listen to Corky Siegel during his Siegel-Schwall days. (In addition to his great tone, his phrasing and originality also stood out.) Keep up the good work!
Hey 1legmidget, the car troubles u mention sounds a lot like what happens to cars when UFO's are present.. and you had just seen Jason ... oooeeeeooo I think AG might be right, .. the harp playing ability, the dyed hair it's obvious Jason is an alien coz no human can play a harp like that : ) Mott (Aust).. Yep, it 's 2.36pm in Aust, home alone I'm up to 3 hrs practice and 7 beeers of 5 beers of pracice since ... ha ha life's good : )
Man sorry to hear about your car troubles!!! Thanks for the nice words glad you made it home safe! J
Super. Thanks Jason, you really made a great comparison and an excellent example to hear the differences. I don't understand why many people say one is better than the other; they each have such interesting results and create wonderful effects. Like comparing real maple syrup and real vanilla- both are great in their place. lol. Tx . for presenting the differences. Gk.
After 35 years of tongue blocking and slaps as an accompaniment to my solo playing when I was alone I have just in recent years started improving on the lip pursing style.... Now if I could only develop some natural musical talent I think that I would be pretty good.
i lip purse most everything including over blows other than whats indicted in the vide
Sure do... now! I just got 'Done with the devil' need I say more than simply genius? It's not the kind of music I listen to on repeat, but it's fast becoming so. I'm sure glad you do this on youtube or I'd never have found your band, I may become a better harp player from your vids here, but I'm kinda lazy practicing, I'm more grateful for the new album on my ipod! :D
Your videos are great. I must admit I feel more comfortable pursing, but I can play with tongue blocking, pursing just feels easier.
ThanK you any way mate
Great point!
:-) Ha. Lol and all that shit. Thanks J for replying to these comments dispite all the crap you have to deal with. I for one appreciate it greatly and have gotten a hell of a start on the harp because of the time you've spent on the videos and comments. peace, -DR
Thank you very much.
Tongue metodh is AWE ...🙈
Thanks Bluez glad it helped! J
Like , share and subscribe. Thank you.
Great lesson, thanks! Do you use overblows while tongue blocking? I always switch to lip pursing in overblows, it seems so much easier.
thanks man just got from adams site you gave a the tip i needed to get better tongue blocking!
You got it!
Hey Jason, an old one, blast from the past. Maybe this one helps me for my „Johnny Woods Long Haired Doney Project“ 😊Greets from Insta ❤
@jasonricci
Жыл бұрын
Hey bro!!!!
I've always played via lip pursing. Gary Smith in his video says that you must learn tongue blocking if you want to replicate the old Chicago sound. Trouble is I am 63, have played for forty+ years, and don't know if I have the time to learn to tongue block!
@SOLSurvival100
5 жыл бұрын
I learned how to tongue block in 4 months. Discipline and drive will get you there.
yes by pursing your lips...
would like to attend and sign up mate but being in Scotland. Its unfortunate that the amazing instrument isn't as popular! awesome tho
Sure!!! Any diatonic harp!
@jasonricci thank you jason good clip
Learning a lot from each video.😎🐈🐈🐈🐈🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛🐈⬛93
ok.
i want to see you live!
Te quiero hermano genio no ce como ZALEn corazones de mi humo cera labio de rino
I do the same thing, and I`ve found I can bend notes with my tongue to. I've only been playing for a week, and since I found you Jay, I'm wailing already. I wanted to ask you if the bending with my tongue thing is a bad habit because it just happened naturally and is so expressive. Am I developing bad habits early???????????
Yhanks! Theres nothing wrong at all with that. Im mostly a lip purser. J
Im still learning but tongue block cant seem to get single notes lip pursing. I been told i will never get a good blues sound learning this way as the notes wont bend the same, is this true.
are pucker and lip purse 2 expressions that mean the same thing? PS:I'm French
I'm just starting out, and what I do is shape my tongue like a U and block holes on both sides. Is that OK or should I do it in a different way?
Could you do this on a key of C harp?
@jasonricci Hw do you feel about u-blocking. No one talks about this style. I am a beginner, and I use u-blocking to follow tabs. I do think the pursing gives better articulation and tone, and I am trying to use it. Tongue blocking is just hard to get single notes for me. I can do octives. I have read that Norton Buffalo played u-blocking. I just want your input. I watch your KZread lessons often. Thanks
@z1522
5 жыл бұрын
The concept of U-blocking just adds a complication to the concept of relaxed lip pursing (tip the harp down into the lower lip area and purse gently to narrow just one note) and while "tongue blocking" can either cover holes left or right, it is essential for anyone chugging chords and octaves where the middle holes need to be covered. U-blocking may be possible, but seems hardly necessary or useful, and soon after learning basic harp breathing, trying to U-block just felt artificially confusing. Repetition and relaxed breathing control yield more ability to play single notes without exaggerated contortions of the mouth and tongue, freeing those other muscles to play with creating tonal nuances.
when you say voicing the target note, do you actually mean whistling the actual note?
Harmonica Might be the most annoying thing I've dropped $40 to learn. Mainly because despite how hard I try, I can't get a single note what so ever.
@alexmc69
7 жыл бұрын
This problem caused me to quit about a week after buying my first harp. I didn't pick it up again for a year! I think it was a John Gindick lesson that helped me get it when I finally tried again; put the harp deep into your mouth with soft lips, then experiment with angle and pressure against your lips until you hit that single note. Whatever you do, DON'T make your mouth into a tight, puckered "cat's ass" - keep those lips soft! It's the 'turned out' lower lip combined with the right amount of pressure that forms the seal around a single hole.
come to salt lake
XUxa Madre porq no lo pones en español dios !!!
I truly was not trying to be sarcastic. I was only pressed for time and trying to answer a lot of comment, Sorry you took it that way I really meant no harm.. You tube is crazy with people that don't read the descriptions or titles. And I am a "fag" so I'm kinda going for that look. (The latter part of the sentence was sarcastic)
au
An Ab harp? Do you have shares in a harp manufacturer? Just kidding, I understand we should learn to play in as many keys as possible, but this is getting expensive!
@jasonricci
7 жыл бұрын
Hey lets say the cost 40.00 bucks a piece...middle of the road...thats 500.00 total for all 12 keys ...how much does a middle of the road guitar cost? I'll try and make more inmate common keys. sorry.
'' I do really work hard and you don't!!???? '' what an arrogant!!
@jasonricci
9 жыл бұрын
Baycreek Nut Thank you 4 Watching! A Moon Cat Love and Appreciate You too!!! Keep rocking!
@TheVikingBlues
9 жыл бұрын
That's not even what he said. He said, "I don't know if you hear the difference, I've worked very hard so that you don't". You missed two very crucial words mate. Also, good on ya for the positive response Jason :)
@jasonricci
8 жыл бұрын
+Chris Langley Thanks for gavin my back!
@shsonmez7135
8 жыл бұрын
I know thats why i was surprised with that comment, and misunderstood, my bad! My Humble opinion is Jason Ricci, is one of a kind Harmonica player, He is more and most influential especially experimenting on a different forms of music!