Hello....been playing for 3 days. Bottom lip is sore...tiny spot hurts when I slide the harp. My lips seem to dry out fast...is this a newbie issue ?

Not really. I wouldn't think lips "toughen up". Shorten your practice sessions a bit might help, keeping everything wet and slimy helps.

Thanks...will try that. My wife sggested vasaline...seems to help, but I think short sessions is good advice..

Thanks

Hello Ed, and welcome!

Your wife's got the right idea, but, rather than Vaseline, try a lip balm like Burt's Bees in between practice sessions. There's a variety to choose from and it helps. Like Pulp advised, keep your practice session relatively short at first (between 5 to 20 minutes) and then work your way up to a half hour of practice or more. Also, have a glass (or bottle) of water right next to you whenever you practice. Take a drink of water between songs and on the last "gulp", swish it around in your mouth before swallowing. (Seems to help me, anyway) This will help keep your mouth, and lips, moist. I've also seen some of the harmonica masters lick their harps before they start playing (or in the middle of a song during a break). This can help, too. AVOID SUGARY DRINKS WHILE PRACTICING AND PLAYING! Not only can they make your saliva (and everything else in your mouth) all sticky, but they can also gum up your harps (which is a bad thing).

Keep on practicing! Things will get easier. Just hang in there!

What you're describing sounds a bit like a cold sore. Nothing ruins harp playing like a freaking cold sore. I used to get them a lot. The dry lips are often a precursor. I stopped getting them when I started taking lysine (an amino acid) which is supposed to be good for lip health esp along with vitamin c. Its possible your harp playing isn't the cause of your lip problem--only coincidental. Also, I wouldn't use vaseline. It's actually a petroleum product and is toxic when absorbed into your body. The Burt's Bees is a better choice. I used to use yogurt or sometimes zinc oxide ointment. You look like clown for a while, but it feels better and helps with the healing. Hey, I'm into natural healing and harmonicas. What can I say?

Thanks ...the sore lips lasted only a week. Not sure what the cure was. I did try chapstic and then vaseline. I still get dry lips occasionally but just for an instant..

thanks