Re:[Harp-L] Re: Why can't I bend?

[Anki Toner <anki@xxxxxx>]

 Hi Steve,

I started playing harp when I was 14 (almost 30 years ago) and I could 
not bend a single note for a couple of years. I did not know who to ask 
(I did not know many players back then). I did not even try anymore when 
one day it suddenly happenned. I bent a couple of blow notes (holes 7 
and 8). It took me a couple of days to control that bend at will, and 
some weeks more to begin bending draw notes. But since that day I always 
have been able to bend notes quite effortlesly.

I am not able to explain what I do with the tongue, lips or airflow. (I 
cannot describe how I pronounce letters either, I guess am not good at 
describing what I do with my mouth in general, but harp is supposed to 
be a "blind" instrument). I am not saying all the advice by John is 
useless, just that it wouldn't work for me. My advice is: keep playing 
what you can play, improve your non-bent playing, and the bending will 
probably appear sooner or later. But don't give up the harp.

Just my experience.
Anki Toner
-------------------------


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Posted by: "john" jjthaden@xxxxxxxxx 
<mailto:jjthaden@xxxxxxxxx?Subject=%20Re%3A%5BHarp-L%5D%20Re%3A%20Why%20can%27t%20I%20bend%3F>
<mailto:jjthaden@xxxxxxxxx?Subject=%20Re%3A%5BHarp-L%5D%20Re%3A%20Why%20can%27t%20I%20bend%3F>Sat 
Aug 11, 2007 10:51 pm (PST)

Hi Steve,
To remove the issue of whether you are getting single notes well enough, 
I recommend you tape off all but the hole of interest (4, for instance) 
while you explore what to do with your throat. There are several ways to 
bend notes; I recommend you learn one that doesn't involve tongue 
position at all. That way, your tongue will be entirely free to do other 
things (e.g., articulation, tongue-blocking, slap-ons and pull-offs). To 
bend draw notes with your throat (soft palate), think about what happens 
when you say the "K" sound. The hard "G" sound. When you try to get 
phlegm out of your throat. All of these involve using the soft palate to 
make a constriction way down in the throat (K is higher up, G medium, 
throat clearing lowest). Now replicate these actions while sucking in. 
Now replicate them without completely closing the constrictions. Now 
replicate them with the taped harp in your mouth.
Hope this helps.
-John

>Message: 5
>Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2007 11:17:29 -0400
>From: "steve abercrombie" <aber@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:aber%40tnt21.com>>
>Subject: [Harp-L] why can't I bend?
>To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:harp-l%40harp-l.org>>
>Message-ID: <000801c7dc2a$
bb5ba0f0$6b9d2618@home39ee09f0e3>
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>I have been playing 10 months. I have been trying to bend for 4 
months. I've taped holes, tried pucker and tongue block bends. I've read 
everything, listened to actual bends and pushed my tongue, throat and 
jaw through every contortion possible. Net result is a little bend 
sometimes... but not even a half a note. I can't even get the proper 
sound when tilting the harp.
>
>I think some air is traveling around my tongue instead of over it. 
This might be the reason I only get a baby bend. With the excpetion of a 
tongue transplant, anybody have any gems i can try or similar experience 
that has not already been shared? Should I surrender or dig in for the 
long battle?
>
>Steve