Re: Bending



Bending is an overloaded term when applied to the harmonica.

You can use bending to produce a pitch between the tunings of the two reeds in
a hole.  When the note is fully bent it is the lower reed that is producing
most of the sound.  In fact, you can stop the
higher tuned reed and still produce bent notes.  The lowest pitch that can
be produced in this way for a given hole is a little less than a semi-tone
above the lower tuned reed,  The highest pitch is that of the higher tuned
reed.  Consequently, holes 5 and 7 on a major diatonic can hardly be bent.

Overblows and overdraws are produced primarily by the higher tuned reed in
a given hole.  The lowest pitch produced by overplaying is a little less than
a semi-tone above the higher tuned reed.  However, even higher pitches can
be produced by 'bending' the overblow or draw.  In fact, if you don't bend
overplays up a little bit they sound flat.

Windsavers change the dynamics and explanations so I'll leave someone else to
supply the details.

Has anyone read the 'Jonno' paper?  It's by a Dr. Johnson from Down Under and
discusses the physics of harmonica playing.

Also, the magic distance of 'a little less than a semi-tone' is because the reed
starts vibrating at its tuned pitch when you try to get closer, but why
'a little less than a semi-tone'?  What is special about this interval?

+Richard




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