Down Up Dick
Well-known member
Well, verrry interesting! Thanks for the info.
I can’t make the show tonight. We gotta watch USC beat Iowa in the Holiday Bowl. Fight on Ol’ ‘SC . . .
ld:
Harmonica
- Thread starter Another Ukulele
- Start date
Well, verrry interesting! Thanks for the info.
I can’t make the show tonight. We gotta watch USC beat Iowa in the Holiday Bowl. Fight on Ol’ ‘SC . . .
ld:Lovinit
New member
I practiced the harp for 2 years and grew frustrated with try in my to bend notes. I really wanted to play the blues, but couldnt without tongue blocking and bending those notes
Lovinit
New member
Hi, is there an easier way to learn how to bend notes? I've seen every YouTube video and can't get it
Lovinit
Lovinit
Lovinit
New member
Some help here, please. Is there an easy way to learn how to bend notes. I've watched many YouTube lessons and can't get it right. There are no teachers in my area.
Thanks
Lovinit
Thanks
Lovinit
Jerryc41
Well-known member
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
Pronounce ee oh ah, notice how your jaw lowers, this should get you on your way to bending them.
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
No easy way — just way (with thanks to Yoda). It’s as Croaky says. The jaw lowers, but the back of the tongue rises.
Sit and watch the TV and draw in on the middle holes (mebbe 4 or 6) of yer Bb or C harp while movin’ yer tongue around and your jaw up and down — everything slowly. Then just keep messin’ wid it ‘til ya git whatcha want. It’s like learnin’ ta skip or whistle or shoot an arrow or throw a rock accurately. Forget about books and YouTube, just do it ‘til ya can do it.
Then, when you’ve learned to draw bend, you can work on blow bending. It’s much more difficult.
ld:
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This. That's the kind of thing that helped me a lot. As you draw in say eeeee normally and then change it to ohhhhhh without a harmonica, then try it with. It's one of those things that you just eventually get with practice.Pronounce ee oh ah, notice how your jaw lowers, this should get you on your way to bending them.
Actually the way I heard it was to say "weeeee" then "woooo" for the bend...but same thing. ha.
Also, it helps greatly if you have a good quality, airtight harmonica. It is really hard to bend on a leaky cheap harmonica.
Nickie
Well-known member
Also, it helps greatly if you have a good quality, airtight harmonica. It is really hard to bend on a leaky cheap harmonica.
I'm not sure I understand the difference.
Now, my question is, do you need to know circular breathing?
I'm not sure I understand the difference.
Now, my question is, do you need to know circular breathing?
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
Also, it helps greatly if you have a good quality, airtight harmonica. It is really hard to bend on a leaky cheap harmonica.
I'm not sure I understand the difference.
Now, my question is, do you need to know circular breathing?[/QUOTE
To be air tight, the silver covers need to be tight to the plastic comb. No extra air sneakin’ in or out.
And no, Nickie, no circular breathing, but it’s a lotta fun doing it. I learned it when I was playin’ some of my brass instruments. One learns to breath in and blow out, more or less, at the same time. I just tried it a little bit, and I could still do it with a little practice.
There’s a piece called “Moto Perpetuo, Op. 11“. I have it Played by Wynton Marsalis. It might be on YouTube. It’s really interesting.
Croaky Keith
Well-known member
One where the reed plates don't fit properly on the comb, air leaks out of the chamber the reed sit in, instead of fully activating the reed.
(Not so much the covers.)
Down Up Dick
Well-known member
Croaky, I’ve never seen one with reed plates that would fit badly enough to leak air. It’s the covers that fit poorly because they bend or twist. If one has a harp that cannot be tightened up with a small screwdriver he/she might just as well throw it away.
Anyway, it’s true that air leakage can be a problem. The old German ones with wooden combs would swell when they got wet and become very tight indeed. The wooden combed “Old Standby” usta be my favorite. I still have a couple. The “Marine Bands” were very good too, of course. I also have one or two of them. When first beginnin’ to play, one would hafta wait ‘til the comb swelled up enough to sound correct. Now, everything is molded plastic — bah!
Well, anyway, bending is a talent which must be learned by working at it like so many other worthwhile things.
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