There are three commonly used techniques for playing single notes on a harmonica: lip blocking, lip pursing, and tongue blocking. The first is a simplified method that's easy for beginners to grasp quickly. The second calls for you to use the muscles on the sides of your mouth to direct air through specific holes on the harp. The third is pretty much what the name sounds like — using your tongue to block some of the holes, which your mouth encompasses to narrow your breath down to a single note. All three methods are useful when playing and should be learned in order to have the broadest range of available sounds in your skill set.

Lip-Blocking Method

Lip blocking is the most simplified method of achieving single notes on the harmonica. That's because the simple act of tilting the back of the harmonica up as you play has the effect of positioning the lips in a way that allows your breath to be directed into only one hole at a time. Try it. Position your lips so that you're blowing into three holes like you're playing a triad, and then tilt the back of the harmonica up until your lower lip naturally closes and blocks the holes on the sides, allowing just the center hole note to sound clearly. It happens automatically!

Pursed-Lip Method

Lip pursing is the method by which air is directed through the harp using the muscles on both sides of your mouth. This is best achieved by puckering your mouth as if you were going to kiss someone while leaving some space in the middle for air to move through. You might get the image of a goldfish when you look at yourself in the mirror doing this without the harp. Your tongue is used to help direct the air as well.

The back part of your tongue is pulled back as if to touch the roof of your mouth, but not quite touching it. The tongue comes down in an S-curve shape that creates a directed flow of air which, combined with your pursed lips, sends the flow of air directly through the hole. Moving your tongue back and forth will help in other ways, too, which will be described in Chapter 5. Practice this until you can get clean single notes all the way up and down the harmonica, drawing and blowing.

FIGURE 4-2:Mouth in pursed position

Tongue-Blocking Method

Tongue blocking is achieved by placing your mouth so that it covers four holes. Then, using your tongue, block the three holes to the right or left, allowing air to only reach the fourth hole on either side of your mouth. This should produce a clean sound blowing or drawing. Practice this until you can do it on either side of your mouth, depending on which note you are trying to get.

FIGURE 4-3:Tongue-blocking position of lips and tongue