Filed under: harmonica lessons and learn to play harmonica basics
Many harmonica players have played for years and never learned to “bend notes.” However, Harmonica players in many musical genres including Rock, Country, Blues and Jazz ofter use this technique with a diatonic harmonica to add to the feel of the music and even play in different keys than that available on the standard tuning for their harp.
Bending a note on the harmonica is simply changing the pitch of the note played on a particular reed by changing the intensity and direction of the airflow around it. This gives a lower pitch than the standard note not that is not bent. It is possible to slide that pitch from one not to another adding variety and feel to the music and this why it is used in many music genres. This is done in two ways:
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Tipping the harmonica at an angle to the direction of the air flow
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Changing the embouchure to adjust the air flow
Note: As we learned at the Harmonica for Beginners Lessons post embouchure describes the position and use of the lips, tongue, and teeth in playing harmonica.
- Before learning this method you should have already started to master playing a single note!
It is easier to get started with the draw on the 2, 3, and 4 holes. The 1 and 6 hole draws are also commonly used. Once you are comfortable with these you can work on the blow on holes 8 – 10 using similar techniques.
Tipping method:
You can start by drawing on the 2 hole. Make it a clean single note. Now Start tipping the the front of the harmonica up towards your nose. While doing this concentrate on not moving your head or the angle of the airflow into the harmonica. As the harmonica reaches an approximate 45º angle up from the starting angle you should hear the pitch start to drop. Work with this a bit until you start to get the changes and practice dropping 1/2 step for starters. To start working on bending the blow notes try the same on the 8 hole to start out.
With practice you should be able to bend draws on holes 1, 2, 3, 4, & 6 and Blows on holes 8, 9, and 10. You can bend holes 5 & 7 also but in most cases these will not be very useful and are not often used.
Bending by changing your embouchure:
The idea of using embouchure or the changes in the position on your lips, tongue, and teeth to change the sounds produced by the instrument comes from brass, horns and woodwind instruments like the trumpet or saxophone. In the case of the harmonica it is just as important. Practice is needed to get a clean clear note and to bend the note down ½ step, a whole step or even 1½ steps.
This is very hard to teach or explain in writing but I will make my best attempt. It is sometimes helpful to explain the changes in your air cavity by the position of your mouth when making different vowel sounds.
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Start by making the natural note on a draw for example on the 2 hole. Holding you tongue back as if to make a long “e” sound.
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With the draw think of making a “eeeee“ sound.
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Now change you tongue and mouth position as if to make a “ooooo” sound as in shoe or boot. The change from “heeee” to “yoooo“
Just as with the tipping method it is easier to start with the draws on hole 2 – 4 adding 1 and 6 once you get the feel for it. Once you can get the draw holes try the blow holes 8 – 10 using the similar changes in embouchure.
With some trial and error you should eventually be able to hear the change in the pitch.
For some great animated diagrams with audio files of sample bends and info on what holes can be bent on draws and blows check out my friend Seamus Murnane’s site at http://www.harmonicaclub.com
In some cases you can do a combination of both methods to perform the bends you need. I hope this gives you a good start. Play around with this. Have fun with it! With a little practice you will be well on you way to making you harp talk!
Life is meant to be lived
- Enjoy,
Wayne