Re: [Harp-L] Bending intonation...the regular kind

["Alexander Savelyev" <Alexander.Savelyev@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi Mike, 

I guess the following things will help you: 

1. Have a reference pitch at hand (tuner with the pitch reference) or guitar, piano, etc. - something that would constantly reproduce desired note - so you have idea of where to go and - what is more important - where to stop with your bent note. 

2. Then, do draw/blow pattern exercises - continues draw/blow with (1) accent on draw, another version of the exercise (2) accent on blow. The trick is to choose desired bent note (hafl step, whole step, or one and a half step - check with the tuner or other instrument - choose appropriate/available notes on 3 draw of course) and then always return to it pitchwise after the blow note. So, you'll basically end up with three basic draw/blow exercises for each bend on 3 draw. 

Your task is to hit the appropriate draw bend and then quickly switch to a blow note at the same hole. And repeat that continuesly at a certain tempo. Usually it works best when you keep doing such an exercise for some minute or so - use metronome if needed.  Focus on the correct pitch of the bent note - you are to always come back to the right pitch on draw note. So experiment with that. 

*Your mussels will strain a bit when switching between draw and blow, but with time you'll acquire so-called mussle memory and bends will come out easier and smoother. 

3. You can practice playing major scale in first position starting from 1 blow. Use appropriate bends to compensate for the lack of notes in the scale. And play that scale legatto - smoothly - so that bends are almost "invisable". 

*With scales, think of one as if it's a line - and your task is to move from one end to another as smooth as possible and as quick as needed - like with phrasing when learning to read - you shouldn't read each letter or word in an isolated manner, but rather have a glance at text, and then read a smooth and natural phrase that comes out from your hear. I guess that's one of the keys in improving your intonation. So, when you are comfortable at getting at any bend from any possible note (usually practice switching to a chosen bend from various positions - from other bent note on different hole, or from blow notes on different holes, etc.), then you can practice smooth scale or phrase playing. 

Hope that helps, 


Best, 


Alex



>>> Mike Fugazzi <mfugazzi67@xxxxxxxxx> 13.02.2007 16:00:43 >>>
Any tips for working on bending intonation?  I can hit
the available 2 and 3 (all three) bends in pitch, but
I don't like my intonation. I tend to articulate most
notes, especially bends and I don't know if that has
something to do with it.  I think I make a sort of "t"
sound with my tongue.

I think I have a "blues" intonation where I tend to
wail on the bends.  That's usually perfect for the
stuff I play, but after hearing some of the jazz cats,
I'd like to have better control.

Lately I've been playing a lot of 4th and 11th and the
three bends, while in pitch, tend to not sound right. 
I thought I was pitchy, but then I checked with a
tuner, guitar player, and bass player.

Thanks!



Mike Fugazzi
http://www.myspace.com/mikefugazzi 
http://www.niterail.com 

"Music should be healing; music should uplift the soul; music should inspire. There is no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of attaining spiritual perfection than music, if only it is rightly understood."
-Hazrat Inayat Khan


 
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