bluesharper
80 posts
Aug 13, 2010
9:15 AM
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I was just wondering does anyone have trouble bending that 1 hole draw on G harps and lower?
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hvyj
523 posts
Aug 13, 2010
9:53 AM
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Use a softer attack and open your throat. Stay RELAXED.
Actually, if you are keeping an open and relaxed airway, dropped jaw, with deep embouchure and drawing all air evenly from the diaphragm, if you have a decent harp you can drop the 1 draw a half step on a low key harp by simply enlarging your oral resonance chamber. If you do it right it works consistently well and doesn't require much effort.
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groyster1
319 posts
Aug 13, 2010
10:18 AM
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@bluesharper
yes,I find it difficult to bend 1D-probably always will-high G harp helps very much
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barbequebob
1122 posts
Aug 13, 2010
10:35 AM
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Hvyj's got the right idea and too many players tend to use a very excessive amount of breath force trying to do those bends and on top of that, they get very physically uptight, both of which are two of the worst things you can do and all you're winding up doing is making things a lot more difficult for yourselves. Having an open throat is very similar to a vocalist's technique for the greatest projection without the need of a lot of air plus it allows for better shaping of the note and many newbies and some intermediate players often are just too uptight in their approach to things because they're always trying to force the issue and that's NOT the way to do it.
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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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bluesharper
81 posts
Aug 13, 2010
10:38 AM
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thanks it helped a little. And im not even a newbie so i dont think im to tight eitheir.
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GermanHarpist
1685 posts
Aug 13, 2010
10:50 AM
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Not any more,... but I also had the same difficulties with the 1hole bend. hvyi and bbqbob are of course spot on. I would elaborate that exact breath control (and a right resonance chamber) is basically essential for all techniques (draw-/blow-bending, over-blowing/-drawing, and of course 'simple' drawing blowing on the higher and lower part of the harmonica) because every note has it's specific breath attack/force and resonance chamber so that it playes with good tone, a clean attack and equal volume.
As a little 'i.e.' I'd mention that the bends often sound louder than the unbent notes and 'distorted'. That's especially true on lower notes/harps. And that can be controlled by attacking softer...
So just try to get that sucker bent down all the way and then go and attack it so that it sounds nice and equal in different note permutations, attacking the draw bend directly, bending up and down slowly,.. etc.
have fun! :)
Last Edited by on Aug 13, 2010 3:12 PM
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nacoran
2485 posts
Aug 13, 2010
12:47 PM
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Yawn. And Pucker. At the same time.
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GermanHarpist
1686 posts
Aug 13, 2010
1:15 PM
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"Yawn. And Pucker. At the same time." - instant classic...
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