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From: Ray Beltran
Date: Sat, 10 Jun 2000 09:52:41 -0700
Subject: Re: Marine Band Question in Respect to Playing Amplified, also
Glove Power

> From: Iceman63~ol.com
> Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 09:23:47 EDT
> Subject: Re: Marine Band Question in Respect to Playing Amplified, also
Glove
> Power
>
> Re:cupping. You have to take more than just your hands into
consideration. I
> learned from Joe Filisko and Phil Wiggens that you should also use the
side
> of your face - cheek area - to help form a more efficient cup. The
increase
> in tone, when you understand and use this concept, is amazing - both
> amplified and unamplified.
>
> The Iceman
>
> ------------------------------
>
> From: "Scott Berberian" <10ho~wcny.rr.com>
> Date: Sun, 4 Jun 2000 09:56:44 -0400
> Subject: Re: Marine Band Question in Respect to Playing Amplified, also
Glove
> Power
>
> I'm not sure if this is what you mean but when I play I usually play at an
> angle and seal the unplayed holes with my cheek. I noticed a while back
that
> once you get a tight grip theres still an escape for air, right out of the
> front of the harp. I'm not sure if thats what you mean Larry but if it is,
> it makes a huge difference. You can also vary the angle (or the seal of
your
> cheek to the holes on the harp) and create a differing tone similar to a
> hand wah.
>
> Scooter

Several years back, at one of Dave Barrett's Masterclass Seminars, I noticed
some of the top players "leaning" the harmonica all the way over onto their
cheek. It almost looked like they were playing from the side of the face.
When I asked about it, they looked at me sort of funny, like, "What you
talkin' bout, man?" One of these players was Dave Barrett himself, although
this technique is never mentioned in any of his books. It seems to be second
nature to these guys, I figured, but I was determined to find out what the
reason would be for someone to employ this technique. Fellow list member and
Guam resident Scott Gold later coined the term "That Cheek Thing" to
describe this technique.

Well, I can't say exactly when my tone improved, and how much of it I
attribute to the "Cheek Thing", since I was also bent on developing several
other techniques, most notably tongue-blocking. But I can say that it has
helped greatly. Now I find myself "cheek-switching" from left to right, and
I can't even tell you why or when sometimes. It just seems very natural, and
I'm convinced that it's part of the tone equation, acoustic OR amplified.

Ray.