People will tell you alot of different ways to bend the reed. The way I think is the easiest to do is (,with you mouth,) make a shape like your saying "weee" while blowing. It's not all that complicated as some people make it out out to be.If you have any more questions about playing, or you think this lesson is whack just E-mail me.

hello mustang

I pick up the harmonica not too long ago am playing single notes pretty well with the toungue block technique. The question i have is do i continue to use the toungue block and make a shape saying "weee".
tanks cybervogt

Hi everybody
I'm new in this site, and I am beginner.
I would like to know if there are any notes which are
easier than other to bend and, what are they
Thanks
Milamber

To tanks cybervogt
Sorry about the lesson. I forgot to add that I don't use the tongue blocking technique. I use the way that you make a smaller lip shape and blow single notes. (Since I'm only in high school I still have small lips.) Which in turn makes it easier to bend the notes. I don't have an answer I would try to ask someone that uses the tongue blocking technique. Again I'm sorry it didn't work for you.

To milamber
If you use the tongue blocking technique I can't help you. But the notes easiest to bend are 5-8. If you have any troubles please reply again.

Thanks, Mustang, now I can bend on every note, it's fantastic !!
Maybe should I try overblows, now... lol
I think I will create a topc on it...
with thanks,
Milamber

Well, maybe you've bagan solving the bendingproblem already. When bending you change the airstream in your mouth. And to be able to do that properly you must be able to move your tongue (and jaw) a bit.
So, when bending you use lipping instaed of tongueblocking.
Harp on, folks!

Thank you so much Jamtharp. I'm really glad we could get a tip for people who use the tongue blocking technique

I just started bending notes also. I found one site that says to say the word Yah when bending, This seems to work well with blows and draws. My only problem now is to figure out when to use it and on what songs.

im having some trouble with bending. i do use the toungue block technique and i can open my mouth a bit and it makes a slight change in pitch but i dont think this is bending. comments?

If you use the software on [www.harpsoft.com] it will tell you if you have hit the notes or not. I found it very useful when I was leaning how to play.

can someone please help me i just cnat seem to doit right ive tried everything posted here.

Hey blue32
Maybe this isn't the answer you're looking for but bending takes practice and time. Harmonica is the easiest instrument to play but being good and having a good technique is very difficult. So just give it some time and try to get some more tips from other sites as well.

thnx. i have been practicing and am getting a little better. I will keep on trying though thnx again.

Hi. I've been playing for about 2 months now. I was moving along pretty steady learning the harp but when I learned to bend I really took off. I use the tongue blocking technique. If you use tongue-blocking don't change to lipping just for bending. When drawing try to say "yooouuuuu" into the harp. Do this on 3,4, or 5. Also, trying to say "yeeee" can work to make the bend. When you make those movements in your mouth to make those sounds it changes the air flow which in turn changes the pitch, or flattens the note. Listen for the change of pitch and you've bent the note. To first learn to bend you can also tip the harmonica down towards the left, and I've also found taking in real hard quick draws in order to get that first bend. Just keep trying it. You'll get it. Although 1-6 are the holes most ideal to bend on, once you memorize your own technique for it, you should be able to bend on any of the holes. hope this helps.

The first thing to do is to learn how to play single notes. It seems really hard to begin with, but completely second nature when you are used to it. There are no professionals who use tongue blocking except to add texture to the single notes they use in general.

Most of the posts are talking about changing the pitch of the note, not really bending it. You know you are bending when you play 3 -3// -3 and it sounds like doh-ray-me.

For that kind of bending, you can really only bend 1 2 3 4 draw, although 5 and 6 draw will go down a tone.

So: you need single notes. Then make sure you are getting a decent airtight seal with your hands, and draw from your stomach muscles, while pulling your tongue to the back of your mouth (that's what the "eeee" thing is about). It is easiest to hear when you are doing it right if you practice on the 3 draw.

Conversely, with 2 draw, it is hard to get the true note ('cos it bends so easily), in that case push your tongue towards the front of the mouth until it is almost touching the harmonica and the note will come out true.

The same technique with the tongue will help you bend the notes above 6 draw, though remember you can only bend the blow notes above that.

Cheers

Robin

hiya Robin (smile)))

thanx for the excellect description of bending. I'm fairly new at this (a little over a month), but after reading your description I'm able to pick my harp up & with a little practice, can get the 3 hole to doh-ray-me!!! And then I played around (pushing tongue forward) until I got a "true note" out of the 2 hole. It's really a miracle for me because at first I had such a hard time getting any tone out of the lower keys worth writing home about. lol

Earlier this week, I realized I was probably holding my harmonica wrong, tilted down. I saw a internet picture of a profile of someone holding the harmonica tilted up. I tried it, and by george, all my notes came out much smoother, especially the stiff lower keys!... which by the way, aren't stiff when I hold the harp tilted up. (grinning from ear to ear))))

I love the harmonica, and I totally appreciate your input Robin! What a difference a day came make.... whoooo hooooooo! lol

~always Maria.

Hi Maria,

Have a go at the little spiritual I posted (it's still on the new song list on the home page) because it's easier to get the bend right if you're trying to play something. in that case your brain works out what you need to get what you're after. The song is very easy Cross Harp, with some simple bends which if you don't hit perfectly will still sound fine.

Cross Harp is where you need your bends, so it's Cross harp tabs you need. Most of the stuff here is straight harp and up the high end (because there are no bends up there that you need). But Cross Harp is more fun.

Look for Cross Harp tabs where the bends are in the middle of the line. When they are at the end, you have to hold them, and even the pros can't help ut sound choked. But if they are in the middle then you can "indicate" them rather than hitting them perfectly and it'll still sound cool. Have a go. If you have difficulty - email me.

Cheers

Robin

Hey Robin (smile)))

I just printed the song you posted and will play around w/ it today. Since I've never heard the song, I'm not sure how it will go, but I'll let you know. At the very least, I can practice the parts of the song which shows bends. (grin)))

Hope you're having a lovely Labor Day. We're staying home & smokin' a Turkey.

~always Maria.

Hi Maria

We don't get Labor (sic [labour]) Day here, but we do get bank holidays. None in the offing unfortunately, but I am going on a long weekend to the South of France, where my sister has a tiny house, so I promise to enjoy that instead. Good enough?

I wrote this reply yesterday, but my computer crashed and it's taken me this long to sort it out.

If you can't work out a tune from playing it (and I've carefully spaced it so that the rhythm goes right), then go to Alta Vista and do a search for the title in the Audio/Music section. Put the whole title in inverted commas and it'll come up with a file you can download, or an online stream of the tune or something.

Try two or three because most spirituals are nowadays sung by modern gospel choirs who always hopelessly overcook them, so that there a squinty-trilllion notes and no tune left at the end of it.

In this case I heard the song on the radio while driving my Lorry through Croyden and snatched up my harmonica as I was creeping through the traffic and tried to catch it. When I searched down the song later, what I had kept was certainly a version and rather nicer than most others.

Let me know how you get on.

Cheers

Robin