Is it true that if you can’t roll your R’s you can’t growl a harmonica? Please tell me there’s another way to get that effect!
Rant: I’m having a really bad time. After 25 years on guitar I lost the use of several fingers. Thought about trumpet but my teeth are going bad and I’m going to need dentures soon. Started harmonica and learned I can’t do the hand wah but I figured I could use a cup. NOW I find out I can’t growl the harmonica either because of a genetic thing (which is why I can’t roll my R’s)? Please tell me there’s another way to growl. I’m hanging on to life by a thread, if I can’t play music, I’m just going to check out early. I can’t do it. I just spent like $600 on harmonicas! End of rant,
I can wobble my throat at the back, used to do it as a kid pretending to be a dalek, I can do it both in and out, the problem is I don’t know how I do it. It’s as if I relax the back of my throat and make a purring sound. Try that
Relax and take your time with it.
Finding the ways to make the harp make the sound you’re trying to make is immensly frustrating I’ve found, but if I, with my complete lack of natural talent I can make progress with it, you can to.
I don’t really do a rolled R when I’m doing the growl, but the way I do it is actually a inhaled French R, which is not really a tounge trill, but it’s more or less the tongue vibrating with the throat. I usually do this with bends. I can’t do rolled Rs for shit, but I have my way to achieve the more Terry McMillan style growl. My friend, Todd Parrott, has a great explanation for this that I think you should check out.