Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
Viewing 8 posts - 1 through 8 (of 8 total)
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Harmonica Lessons › Community Forum › Harmonica Q&A › Bending
Hello,
i open a topic for all questions about bending.
So i have a question from one of your courses, why do you advice to not bend on the 5 hole? I know you will get the same note than if you blow on it but i don’t understand why you say it will damage the harp? and also i ask because i have a blues method and they give exercices to bend on each hole including the fifth, so i don’t know if i have to work on it or not.
Hi Julien,
Great question!
First, a quick clarification: when you bend the 5 hole draw, you don’t get the same note as the blow note on that hole. Instead, you end up with something in between the two actual notes.
For example, on a C standard diatonic harmonica, the 5 hole draw note is F, and the blow note is E. A bend on the 5 draw will give you a note that’s somewhere in between, which means it will be out of tune.
There’s a golden rule of bending: you can only bend the higher note in any hole down to one semitone above the lower note in that same hole. Both reeds are involved in producing the bend, and without going too deep into the physics, this interaction makes it impossible to get a perfectly in-tune note any lower than one semitone above the lower note.
That’s why I don’t teach bending on the 5 hole. While you can do it and it might sometimes sound okay, the note won’t be perfectly in tune.
🎶 Keep on harping!
Mg
I’m just starting to (learn to) play.
I have a C diatonic harp – Hohner – Bob Dylan Signature Series (don’t know if this is a good one).
Today I was able to bend on hole #1, but impossible for me to bend on holes 2-3-4. How come? Different technique to bend these other holes?
Hey Pascal,
congratulations that you can bend #1.
#1 might be a little easier than the other holes. Because you can cover the hole with your mouth by moving to the instrument to the right side leaving only the comb an no other holes.
For the other holes you need a proper pucker to play only the draw note in one hole and not the ones to the left or the right. I think Mitch talks about this very early in the tuturial. So you need to have a proper technique for single blow and draw notes for this holes before you can start bending.
If this sounds like old news to you, check if your mouth is relaxed while trying to bend. Check if your throat is open or do you restrict the airflow while going for the bend. Is your tounge moving to the back when starting the bend?
To get an idea how the bend notes will sound try to drop your jaw while playing the draw note – it should feel like yawning.
In my experience bending needs to be learned like you learned to ride a bike. The movement of muscles, shape of mouth, lips, and throat is something new – at least it was to me. Several years into it I still come back to the basic every so often when I recognize that my bends sound weak, or I more suck the harmonica than play it.
For me it helped to improve my technique to play on a lower pitched harp (e.g. A-major). Here the reeds are longer and it’s easier to control the airflow needed for the bend.
So give yourself time and patience – you are on a good way. Keep on going – it’s worth the journey.
Keep on harpin’ in 2025
Dear Udo,
Many thanks for your very interesting advice!
Wish you a great 2025!
Kind regards,
Pascal.
Hey Pascal,
how is your bending?
BR
Udo
Hi,
Just starting to learn the harmonica w/no musical experience whatever. A bit confused about bending. I think I’m bending but found it pretty easy to do, so I’m guessing I’m probably doing it wrong given that it’s promoted in the literature as at least somewhat difficult to learn. What I need is to have someone that knows bending to listen and say “you got it!” or “that’s not a bend.” In the absence of someone to do that, how am I to know if I’m bending notes? I don’t want to proceed to practice and ingrain a bad habit if I’m not doing it properly.
Thanks,
Frank