It simply seems to concentrate the sound in your head - so when you're searching for the note, you've got a better chance of finding it. I occasionally do it (briefly, so nobody notices) in church.

But of course, as Shambles rightly points out, in folk clubs one scores points for intensity, and there's even a way of tuning up which can have the audience listening respectfully... so I guess people overdid the ear thing to win some kind of credibility.

Damn... got my finger stuck again....

- Ian B