Ugly Bones Ryan
88 posts
Jun 24, 2014
9:02 AM
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I can't get the three draw down a whole step on without moving from the two draw (a second position scale situation). Does anyone know of any good videos or have good advice on getting this bend down?
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Rgsccr
258 posts
Jun 24, 2014
9:12 AM
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Here is something that worked well for me - based off a suggestion from Adam Gussow or maybe Iceman. Using a tuner to make sure you are hitting the note, draw the bend and hold for a count of seven beats, breathe out and then repeat. Do this five or six times everyday, and (for me) soon you will find it's not too hard to hit the bend right on.
Rich
Last Edited by Rgsccr on Jun 24, 2014 9:12 AM
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arzajac
1410 posts
Jun 24, 2014
9:17 AM
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I would suggest you use repetition.
Scales work great for this. The major scale in first position uses the 3draw full step bend. Play that up and down until you can nail the bend bost ascending and descending.
The blues scale in fifth position also give you a nice workout on the 3 draw as it uses three different notes on the 3 draw including the full step bend you are looking for. Start the blues scale on the 2 blow. (You can also go up to the 8 blow and get two octaves of the blues scale in fifth if you can pop out the 6 overblow.)
Repeat licks that use the note you are looking to get proficient at and repeat, repeat, repeat. Use your ears to tell if you are hitting the bend correctly - when you play for real, that's what you will be using anyway...
Other scales that use that 3d full step bend are the Major pentatonic in first position(start on 1 blow), major pentatonic in second (start on 2 draw), major pentatonic in third (start on 1 draw). The major pentatonic scale sounds like the riff to "My girl" Your ears will easily let you know if you are hitting the note or not.
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Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Jun 24, 2014 9:22 AM
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The Iceman
1770 posts
Jun 24, 2014
9:18 AM
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I never recommend using a tuner...
Suggestion...
Relaxed attitude, harmonica in mouth (Tipped up), relax tongue, inhale hole 3, and then SLOWLY arc the tongue up near the middle/back area until you instigate the bend. Further exploration of tongue arc position should get you the results you want.
Not Force....gentle inhale.
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The Iceman
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barbequebob
2610 posts
Jun 24, 2014
10:06 AM
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One of the biggest mistakes players often make when bending notes is using far too much breath force when bending and players who use too much force in their playing often ramp their breath force about easily twice to five times harder, and tho it makes it tough on a diatonic, it becomes just about impossible to do a bend on chromatic doing it this way.
The thing to do is drop the jaw for each 1/2 step bend VERY VERY VERY SLIGHTLY, but players new to doing this 98% of the time when doing it will have a tendency to heavily over exaggerate this and make things harder for themselves in the process.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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Gnarly
1036 posts
Jun 24, 2014
10:44 AM
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Only yesterday I had this discussion with a student--what I did that worked was to stand inside his bubble--you know, close enough to be distracting--and show him how my oral cavity was changing to access the bent notes.
He then was able to get the bends without force.
Nobody breaks reeds on the third hole, do they?
Also, Ode to Joy is good for a laugh . . .
Last Edited by Gnarly on Jun 24, 2014 10:46 AM
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Rgsccr
259 posts
Jun 24, 2014
12:51 PM
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Clarification - I don't use a tuner when I play, or even when I was doing the exercise I noted above. What I did was to hit the draw or play a scale without anything, trying to hear the bends. Very occasionally, I checked myself with a tuner. For me, it was useful to see if I was actually hitting the notes that I thought I was - especially before my ear started to improve. Not needed anymore, but it helped me to visualize the note.
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jnorem
316 posts
Jun 24, 2014
1:29 PM
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Hi Ryan. You know what? I think this is just a case of needing to keep practicing. Bending techniques are very personal, I think, and continuous practice will lead you to your way of achieving bends. In the meanwhile try everything, keep at it. Don't worry, you will get the hang of it.
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Call me J
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