[Harp-L] Note bending technique

[IcemanLE@xxxxxxx]

How many of you understand that when you bend a note to the "floor" (my  
label for that place where the note bends down to the "max" and won't go any  
lower) the actual pitch is almost 1/4 tone flat? This is very similar to playing  
the 5 hole inhale and bending it downwards. 
 
One wouldn't want this lowered pitch to represent the sound of 5 hole  inhale 
for most situations involved w/melodic line reproduction if you are  
concerned with in/out of tune.
 
The same may be said for all those notes created through bending  techniques. 
OB's are even more evident, as you really need to tweak your  technique to 
pull them closer to true pitch.
 
If you are strictly a blues player, this phenomenon is not so critical to  
the music. However, with the new wave of players expanding the diatonic into  
other areas of music, it is an important consideration.
 
For example, 4 hole inhale bend - when you achieve proper pitch and sustain  
it, you should have room below to bend further downwards - exactly the same 
note  placement as playing 5 hole inhale with the ability to bend this pitch  
downwards. However, this is quite a finesse point and takes sensitivity and  
awareness to first of all understand this and second of all to develop the  
technique to feel this one out. Most players seem to bend down to the max,  feeling 
the "floor" as a resistance and using this as a guide of where to place  the 
note.
 
If this maximum bending is considered a "floor", try to PLACE this note (or  
float it) about 1 foot above the floor. Using some sort of pitch meter to help 
 visualize may be helpful at first to grasp this concept.
 
The Iceman
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