SuperBee
3727 posts
May 14, 2016
6:59 PM
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Yeah, the draw bends work like a compromise of the two reeds in the hole. So the potential for a bend is dependent on the difference between the two reeds.
This isn't quite how it works physically but it's a useful thought.
Assuming a C harp:
Holes 1-6 the draw note is higher than the blow note. 1 draw is D, 1 blow is C. You can bend 1 draw between D and C, about halfway...a bit more actually but the note to aim at is Db
In the second hole the difference is bigger between 2 blow and 2 draw. E to G, and you can bend to F# and also to F. You can get a bit flatter than F too, maybe half way between F and E.
In the 3hole it's bigger again. You can bend the 3 draw B to Bb, A, Ab. Then in 4 it's the same as the 1 hole.
But in the 5 hole, 5 blow is E and 5 draw is F. There is no actual standard note between those 2, so no 'real' bend. You can still flatten the draw note with s bending approach but it's not s 'real' note that you'd find on the piano.
With 7 8 9 10...it's different.
For a start, the blow note is lower than the draw note, so you can't bend the draw note in between. You can bend the blow note down towards the draw note. But 7 is like 5, there's no in between note. 8 blow though can be bent from E to Eb, and it's the only place on the harp you can get this note (apart from over-bending which is related but different technique). 9 blow will bend from G to F#. And 10 blow will bend to B and Bb because 10 draw is A and 10 blow is C.
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