How is this done?

Technique
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Hi all!

I’m stumped - any idea how it’s possible to simultaneously play a note (like in the middle and end or the audio file) while overlaying the “tududu tududu” sounds - seems like magic.

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Sounds like tongue blocking and tongue slapping?

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Tongue blocking allows for multiple Mayes of sound. This is why it’s so important.

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Definitely tongue blocking and slaps no doubt

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thanks David, Dblues, Andy!
Darn, since I’m a lip purser this “multiple mayes” will be harder to achieve, still I’ll attempt to “hack the system” somehow to fake it, right now I did the “regular” version without all of them mayses, I think it still does 80% but I’ll keep on experimenting

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I think @KeroroRinChou may know about that as they are a lip purser, they may have come across a way to make pursing sound like it’s tongue blocked. Personally speaking I think it may be based on playing from the side of the mouth and trying to Isolate a single note? And using the air- flow and tongue articulation to get a slap- like sound? Rather than targeting a particular hole and slapping on and off Maybe? I still use a bit or pursing but I primarily tongue block now, I’ve got so into that, I can’t recall if there was a way around it. Paul Butterfield seemed to manage, But he to used a bit of blocking.

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Andy you are right - the whole “tongue block required” is just propaganda by “big tongue block”
Okay, jokes aside, I’m making progress:
(forgive the video quality, I usually like to make the video look good but this was just me experimenting)

  • Right now, I was playing it “slowed down” but it’s definitely possible
  • The trick was listening to the original slowed down. Turns out, the prominent “tududu’s” were only after ceratain notes, not after every note (there, it might have been supplemented by tongue slapping/breathing), once you know where to actually do them it becomes way more manageable and no longer impssible.
  • so for example (here is the first line), they are after the 6-blows, that was the secret!
  • 5 -5 6[tududu] 6 -6 -5 -6 -6 6[tududu] [tududu]
    (there may be more, but it’s about getting the “important ones” first to get 90% of the way there)

oh and where are my manners, here is the original:

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Okay guys, I’m getting there (intentionally playing slower for now):

  • I now think tongue blocking/lip pursing doesn’t even have anything to do with this, since it’s playing chords (3 notes at the same time)
  • The biggest trick was listening to the original in slow motion and trying to reproduce it slowly as well
  • Initially, I started off inserting the “tududu’s” only after several of the notes where they are most noticeable as in my last post. Here, I tap my foot and do tongue slaps in sync with the tapping of my foot in addition so it gives it a “wholeness.” So yeah, this whole technique is “kind of” an illusion.
  • a mental trick that helped me was, you know how rappers insert stuff like “ahh yeah” “uhuh” in their raps? I think the tududu’s serve a similar purpose and think of them in the same way

I tried to be as detailed as I could so hopefully this thread would help someone later.

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@yuriythebest l Yeah the more I listen it sounds like a partial octave, not fully on. I’ve Listened to what you’re playing it’s not that far off just needs tidying up speeding up and you’ll get it I’ve no doubt

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I do have my methods of creating this sound, although I don’t play blues. The way that I do it is playing 1 and 2 draw, sometimes I slip the 3 draw in there, then rapidly close the side of my lip to isolate a single note, giving it a more textured chord. Winslow Yerxa, the walking talking harmonica encyclopedia himself, actually describes it in his lip pursing exclusive techniques video. I might have to share it if anybody’s interested.
P.S. Thank you so much for referring me with they/them pronouns. You brought me so much joy the day you posted that comment. It comes to show that just that one little action can brighten up somebody’s day.

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@KeroroRinChou, My son who is also autistic and his partner are both Trans so I’m very used to it. Although, it took some time to get there being an old git. But I know how important those pronouns are. It was only when you mentioned that you took were trans too I thought it only right to do that. I’m glad it made you happy.

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My son’s partner is also American but is going for citizenship in the UK as they have suffered a lot of discrimination where they are from in the US.