Hello everyone,

Today was a lazy sunday for me, decided that I'd do nothing else than practise on the harp all day. So been watching alot of Adam Gussows great videos and practising along to those.

But what I was noticing than when trying to play the blues, which relies heavily on draw notes I run out of air real quick. Or actually not running out of air but having my lungs full, not able to breath in any more. Espeacilly when I try bending notes I fill myself up real fast. Feels like I would need alot more blow notes to be able to play.

Then I noticed that if I pinch my nose, it's alot easier to do the draw notes. So apparently I have been sucking air through both my nose and the harp when doing draw notes. But when I'm doing blow notes only through the harp, which makes them easier.

Does anybody have some good tip how to _not_ suck air through your nose while doing the draw notes?? I mean pinching the nose is one way, but I might want to use that hand for other stuff instead.

I'm a beginner on the harp, just started to try bending and stuff. I can do somewhat of a bend, but I'm not sure if it is correct. But I think I have to work out this breathing problem first. And I'm a fit guy, my lungs are in good shape so it's in the technique.

Thanks for the help everybody!

You just have to practice isolating your breathing patterns. First, take deep breaths in and out you nose. No air should come through your mouth. Next, without holding your nose, open your mouth wide and breath in an out through just your mouth. Slowly close your mouth, still breathing through it. Pucker it as you would for a harmonica, and you should still be breathing just through your mouth!

Here's a cool thing you can do. It's called circular breathing, you breath through your nose and blow out through your mouth at the same time. for your draw problem, you could do it the other way around, breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. there's lots of stuff on it on google and youtube. It may be hard at first but it is a valuable skill to have.

Or just blow out quickly at an appropriate place in a phrase.

Also, remember that unbent -2 is the same note as 3. So you can lessen the amount of times you draw by using this tip.

I wonder if you have seen this video ? [www.5min.com]

I have this same problem a lot. I feel that if you're filling your lungs up on the draw notes. on blow notes blow out your nose and mouth to quickly empty your lungs. Combine this with not breathing in through your nose and also what Jackson and gene said this can help a lot.

There are a lot of times that when you open your mouth to blow out quickly, the tone you make through the harp in doing so sounds good. As a matter of fact, Adam Gussow teaches you to do that as a part of the song...blow out quickly, maybe twice to get a rhythmic expression between phrases.



Post Edited (2009-08-08 04:47:07)

Adam Gussow is a LEGEND! He has taught me everything I know!!!

Check out his youtube channel

And here is his website



Post Edited (2009-08-09 01:21:55)

Have you some more tips?
I tried out many tips of these.. they are good.. but have you some more?

In a song I learn to play just have 2 blow notes among 6 draw notes.. because of this I must blow out many air at one time ^^

Was told of a site a few weeks ago that talked about this very subject of closing off the nose, and now I can't find it. Well, pooh! I'll keep hunting for it.... Anyway, it spoke of being able to consciously close the nasal passage by using the soft palate. Use a mirror and look into your own mouth and find your uvula (the little hangy-down ball of tissue in the back of your palate). While looking in the mirror, tighten up the soft palate. You'll know you've successfully accomplished this when you see your uvula, and soft pallet, "rise" or tighten up. This is what you're after. It may take practice for some people, while others seem to be able to do it without thinking about it. Having been a swimmer since I could toddle, closing off the nose this way seems to be a "natural" for me as it was necessary in order to be able to swim underwater without a nose clamp (I hate those things!).

Another method of working on closing off the nasal cavity is to hold a mirror under your nose and breathe (in and) out of your mouth WITHOUT fogging the mirror situated just beneath your nose. If you can do this, then you've successfully closed off the nasal cavity. :-) Once you can do this, it makes getting good tone out of draw notes a great deal easier, and ya don't draw in near as much air! :-)

Also, what Gene said about opening the mouth and quickly exhaling though it AND the nose is right on point. In fact, I remember that very video of Adam's where he discusses that technique. Just keep practicing! Eventually it'll all come together for you! :-)



Post Edited (2009-10-16 00:23:00)

FOUND IT!!! :-) See:

"Do You Know What Your Nose Is Doing?" by David Barrett

Enjoy!



Post Edited (2009-10-15 23:42:19)

People who can't close their nose: How do they swim?
What do they do when they drive past road kill?
What if somebody farts?



Post Edited (2009-10-16 02:17:57)

EarthDogHarpin posted this link in the "Requests" thread in response to an identical question. The article titled "Do You Know What Your Nose Is Doing?" by David Barrett, gives a VERY clear explanation of both the problem and the solution.

[harmonicasessions.com]

Dunky



Post Edited (2009-10-16 16:53:50)

Inhale using your diaphram or stomach instead of your lungs, you can take in more air this way.