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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
bending
bending
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netman
1 post
Jun 30, 2010
1:53 PM
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Hi everyone: I am new to the forum and hope someone can give some tips of how to make bending EASIER?
It seems that I have to use all my strength to get a good sound. Feels like I am trying to suck the reed out of the harp. Any suggestions will be appreciated.
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gene
512 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:00 PM
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Start with draw 4. As you draw, articulate the word "you." At some point, the note will bend. Practice that until you remember your tongue and jaw position so you can go right to it. Do the same thing for the other draw-bend holes. The lower the hole, the more you will have to drop your jaw.
I learned that from a David Barrett DVD and it helped me tremendously.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 2:21 PM
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Oisin
587 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:09 PM
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Hey Netman welcome to the forum.
You will probably get a lot of different people telling you different techniques to get bends but the one that worked for me was the weee oooh method.
basically you make the sounds weee and oooh while breathing out and then do it when breathing in. The oooh will give you the bend.
Notice what your toungue is doing when you are making these noises. You are bending the airstream down when making the oooh sound and that's what makes the blow note sound to give you the bend....yes the blow note sounds when you bend a draw note. Takes a little bit of paractice and there are other methods that some of the other guys will tell you that might work better.
Try it on the 4 draw first as I found this the easiest note to bend when I started. The 2 draw bend will be the hardest one to get as it requires a little coaxing to get right but you'll get there.
If you're using a lot of breath then you're doing it wrong. Take it easy and just take it gentle at first. Using too much breath for blow or draw will result in your blowing out reeds but that is something you should expect when you start.
By the way Netman this only works on holes 1 to 6. From 7 to 10 you can blow bend the notes using the above method but in reverse. master the draw bends first though as you'll use holes 1-6 more when you're starting out and then try the blow bends.
Good luck and keep on harping.
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Oisin
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Oisin
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 2:14 PM
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MrVerylongusername
1112 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:09 PM
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You shouldn't be trying to force it - it isn't about sucking harder. Keep your lips and cheeks nice and relaxed and work on your embouchure to get good clean single notes.
Gene's and Oisin's advice above are a good place to start.
If you can whistle down a note, you can bend one on the harp.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 2:11 PM
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gene
513 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:25 PM
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I find the draw 3 to be hardest to bend because there are three notes to bend to. It's hard for me to get to the right one accurately. I'm finding Adam's new lesson, "Goin' Down South" to be good practice for this.
(That "1/4 to 1/2 step" sounds more like 1/2 to 3/4 step to me. Comment, anyone?)
Oh, yeah...Draw 1 is hard on the low key harps.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 2:31 PM
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netman
2 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:31 PM
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Thank you Gene,Oisin & Mr.Verylongusename.
I will try all your suggestions and hopefully settle on one that works for me. Thanks again.
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Jim Harris
18 posts
Jun 30, 2010
2:47 PM
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netman -- What brand and type harmonica are you using? Some are harder to bend than others, especially low keys like "G". A "C" should be fairly easy.
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netman
3 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:25 PM
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Jim Harris: Jim, I am using a marine band in the key of C & D. These are the only two I have so I will try to make do with them. Do you think a different make or key will be easier?
Thanks
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gene
514 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:38 PM
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"...Do you think a different make or key will be easier?..."
Don't ask that!!! LOL
Now, everybody will be espousing their personal favorite, and Buddha will be saying that his customs are the only way to go.
Let me make it simple:
Don't buy a cheap one.
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nacoran
2305 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:39 PM
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Netman, C and D are good keys to work with for bending and a Marine Band is a good harp. You don't have to play it hard. You should be able to play a bend as softly as you can get the harmonica to play. Follow the advice the other guys posted and you should get it down. Welcome to the forum!
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Nate
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GermanHarpist
1609 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:39 PM
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All keys and holes bend differently. So my advice would be to try them all. All holes 1,2,3,4,6 should work find.
Although it is probably the worst way to explain bending is basically changing the resonance chamber in your mouth.
By enlarging the resonance chamber (by saying 'ooo' or whatever) you are forcing the draw reed to sound lower. At the same time the blow reed starts to vibrate, activated by the inverse air stream. When you bend the draw note all the way down only the blow reed vibrates.
Now, each and every mouth cavity is different and thus there is mostly one keyed harp that is easiest to play and certain holes that are easiest to bend for specific people.
Thus my advice for learning bends, for overblows or whatever, try all different harps and all different holes. There will be one that naturally fits your mouth cavity best and it will work easist. Then go from there to adapt it to the other holes and harps.
Btw. the Marine Bands are notorious for their unconsistent quality. The quality of the harp and the consistency in which it is set up has a huge effect on the bendability of notes.
As Jim sais, i.e. in my experience, lower harps are easier to bend. And then I wouldn't go with a hohner but with a Suzuki. The Harpmaster has an excellent price/quality ratio. Try RockinRons if you live in the US, he has all you need.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 3:43 PM
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tookatooka
1487 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:42 PM
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@netman. C and D will be fine to start with. If you are new to the harp, you may be playing for long periods of time and find the Marine Band gets a bit uncomfortable because of the wooden comb swelling. If this becomes a problem you may want to consider a plastic comb (eg Special 20) until you have all the basics under your belt. Just a thought.
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gene
515 posts
Jun 30, 2010
3:42 PM
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Here's a review from a member of another forum"
____________________________________________
well the other day i notest that i have alot of old broken harp form all the companies, so i thought id rate each on the harps i have played, for each brand ill give a 5 star rating and easch review will be on at least 3 harmonicas.
HERING
harps ive had- Vintage 1923, hering blues, and the golden blow
now hering harps for me are hit and miss, the vintage in high keys is rubbish with it being the most leaky harps ive played but in low keys is outstanding, the hering blues is much like the speciel 20, an good average harp, but the golden blow, which ive not owned but had the privalige to play is unbeliveable. Its a custom harp of sorts that plays so well but it has the same reeds as the hering blues, and this showed me how much a little alteration can go a long way.
there durable, feel good in the hands and if you have the right key there great, but there inconsistant , with some not being gapped well and squeaking.
i will buy more but inconsistancy and the high key problem makes me take marks off these otherwise good harmonicas.
DURABILITY ***
last awhile but the low reed have a tendency to go quicker.
PLAYABILITY ***
really good for the golden blow,hering blues average, vintage mixed good-bad.
TONE ***
with the vintage its punchy and full, average with the others.
PRICE *****
very cheap with both the vintage and blues coming in under £20.
Overall 3.5 out of 5
HOHNER
harps ive had- marine band, golden melody, pro harp, blues harp, puck, xb-40.
these are the most famous and most popular and harmonicas like the marine band and golden melody, which are great, help to inbed this view. But dispite hohners reputaion there harp do little to inspire me, with there ms harps the pro harp and the blues harp being weak and poor players.
but thier golden melody and marine band save them, both being very good, the marine band for its tone and ease of play and the golden melody for it bending and overblowing capabilities. also the ambisous xb-40 is good although it takes getting used to.
all of these harps have acommon fault though, there all easier to break than other brands, i will buy more but there durability is there achilles heel.
DURABILITY **
the marine band and ms harp are bad, the golden melody and xb-40 are a little tuffer.
PLAYABILITY ***1/2
the marine band, golden melody and xb-40 are good, the ms harps poor.
TONE ****
almost all have a decent tone with the marine band topping the charts.
PRICE ****
mostly resonable with the averge about £25 or so, the xb-40 is an exception.
OVERALL 3.6 out of 5
HUANG
harps ive had- bacpac, star performer and silvertone
first off, let me say that the bacpac is bad, and painful to play so that the last on that. i still have the scars.
the other two are fine, both have ok tone play well and if tweaked sound fantastic, but inconsitanty is rife and ive never had two the same, one will play like a custom harp the next wont even sound, but for what the are there not bad.
there cheap, there useable, bar the bacpac, and for the money paid play fine, but dont expect miracles.
DURABILITY **
not the strongest but hay there cheap.
PLAYABILITY **
not bad but far from great.
TONE **
a little thin but i find the silvertone punchier than the others.
PRICE *****
cant knock it, they were all under £10, very cheap indeed.
OVERALL 2.75 out of 5
SEYDEL
harps ive had- big six, favourite, soloist pro, 1847
the favourite is great slick and easy it play with big sound and comfort, same with soloist pro, the wood comb resonating it good strong tone. There 1847 with it steel reed is surprisingly simarlar in sound but big on the volume and long lasting because of the materials strengh. The big six preforms the same dispite it small size.
Seydels harps are all very good, strong, easy to play with a great sound, and those with the steel reeds (1847,bigsix) have great durability. The range of tunings also is amazing, over 200 for the favourite, which frankly is mind boggleing.
Seydels harps are great in every aspect, and i buy with confidence, knowing there constistant product will perform brillantly even in my hands. And thats not ever talking about there quality and sound!
DURABILITY ****
good alround but the steel one are longer lasting then the others.
PLAYABILITY *****
easy, all are fantastic to play and so simple because of the airtightness.
TONE ****
very rich and warm throughout.
PRICE ***1/2
there more expensive but your paying for better quality, so not to bad.
OVERALL 4.1 out of 5
SUZUKI
harps ive had- bluesmaster, promaster, pureharp, firebreath, harpmaster, hammond harp.
suzuki harmonicas are great, the promaster blusemaster and hammondharp all playing like a dream, easy, rich, and full. the firebreath and purharp are also mavellous both have a warm tone and great overblowing and bend capabilities, and the cheapest the harp master is also fantastic, with the same properties as the bluemaster.
they are all great, easy to play harps with those with the bronze reeds lasting a long time. i will never stop buying suzukis for they are amazing in ever aspect.
DURABILITY ****
very good indeed but i find that the firebreath and pureharp to be weaker.
PLAYABILITY *****
the easiest, and most enjoyable of all the brands.
TONE *****
rich and full of character.
PRICE ***
most good but the firebreath and pureharp overpriced.
OVERALL 4.25 out of 5
TOMBO
Harps ive had- aero reed, ultimo and lee oskar.
the aero reeds very good, so is the ultimo and so is the lee oskar, thats the problem ive got, good but thats my problem and love for these insturments, there so good, so average and consitant that there hard to critise and to prise other that there good, but there more than that.
there strong, there loud, there cheap to get new reeds for and there easy to play, the only flaw is there difficulty in get overblows. Thats how good they are.
i love tombo, the aero reeds bright rocky sound exspecalily and i will buy them again because there strong and the sort of harp you cant go wrong with.
DURABILITY ****
consistanly strong and in my view the most difficult to break but by no means indesrucable.
PLAYABILITY ****
a little harder than the seydels and suzuki but easy non the less.
TONE ****
bright and lively.
PRICE ****
good but have gone up a bit recently
OVERALL 4 out 5
the table
1.SUZUKI 4.25
2.SEYDEL 4.1
3.TOMBO 4
4.HOHNER 3.6
5.HERING 3.5
6.HUANG 2.75
now each company has good and bad points but i must say that there all very good, and you should really try out each of them, because (apart for huang really) there all quality harp makerS with great and different harps.
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GermanHarpist
1610 posts
Jun 30, 2010
4:00 PM
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netman... you'll have noticed that some of the information above conflicts somehow... :).
Especially with harp models you'll have to take the info with a grain of salt (at the end much of it is opinion). Try it for yourself. See what works best for you.
Welcome to the forum, btw. :)
P.s. as gene sais, it you have the money try the different models for yourself. I play more than 3 years now and I'm still looking around.. they all play and sound different. However if you know a little gapping and embossing you can make them all play good.
Btw. I don't know if there'll be a skye chat tomorrow (I'd be up for it btw... :). If there is, that would be a great place to exchange such information and there will surely be somem more tips for you bending endevor...:)
fyi, the mbh-chat skype name is 'modernbluesharmonica'.
Last Edited by on Jun 30, 2010 4:06 PM
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nacoran
2307 posts
Jun 30, 2010
4:06 PM
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I'm on for the Skype chat, but I'm still having issues with my microphone getting feedback from my speakers, so I may just be listening and typing.
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Nate
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blogward
136 posts
Jul 01, 2010
1:21 AM
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My mileage varies - have played (the same) Golden Melodies for YEARS with no problems, bought two Seydels which had reeds go within six weeks.
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groyster1
178 posts
Jul 01, 2010
5:16 PM
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only had 1 golden melody go flat and one special 20 reed stuck both great values
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strawwoodclaw
75 posts
Jul 01, 2010
5:26 PM
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bending notes Is the same as whistling only inhaling instead of blowing. whistle & take not of what your tongue is doing & then do the same with your harp only inhaling.
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LittleJoeSamson
327 posts
Jul 01, 2010
6:28 PM
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Bending is an art, and it varies from player to player and harp to harp.
First off...many beginners ( and even intermediates ) want to immediately work on bending, when scales and single-notes are more important.
( If you have THOSE down, then proceed... )
With my students...when they are ready to begin bending, I have them START with a low key ( G, A ) harp on the #1 hole. This familiarizes the mechanics needed within the mouth structure....by the extreme dramatics required.
Then, scaling back for the subtleties involved for a #5 or #6 bend are easier.
[Now, over-bending on #7 & #8 is possible, but requires some mechanical work and practice]
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walterharp
382 posts
Jul 01, 2010
7:24 PM
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try opening the inside of your mouth while blowing softer, almost choking off the note
works for some
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