[Harp-L] weird bending?

[karen mass <kdmass7@xxxxxxxxx>]

hi ya'll...

i've played chord harmonica for many years, fooled around with chromatic
(and now getting serious about it), and only messed with diatonics a wee
tiny bit over the years.

recently, because i've had time and inclination, i've been messing about
with blues harps, hoping i could pick up some blues licks just for giggles.

so i go to youtube, find michael rubin's tutorials and start working my way
through them.   i've been stuck on bending because i can't yet get three
half step draw bends on the three hole, even on a low-a tuned harp.  i'm
still working at it cuz i know i'm gunna get em eventually.

anyhow, the reason for this post is that in web researching the note
possibilities on a diatonic, i've learned this is how diatonics are sposed
to work:

hole 1 blow
hole 1 draw
hole 1 draw bend down 1/2 step
hole 2 blow
hole 2 draw
hole 2 draw bend down 1/2 step
hole 2 draw bend down 1 step
hole 3 blow
hole 3 draw
hole 3 draw bend down 1/2 step
hole 3 draw bend down 1 step
hole 3 draw bend down 1 1/2 step
hole 4 blow
hole 4 draw
hole 4 draw bend down 1/2 step

at least, that's what the documentation i've found on the web sez.

BUT

in my goofing around i've found i can bend holes 1 through 4 BLOW down at
least 1/2 step each!   that means on my A harp i can get a Ab.  and i
measured all four holes with an electronic tuner.  is this normal?  why
don't the note charts for diatonics show this?  or have i just not seen
them?  btw, this appears to be repeatable and controllable for all 4
holes.  i haven't messed with holes 5 through 10 yet.
i have also tried this on C, D, and Bb harps and it seems to hold true on
them too.

if i'm displaying my ignorance in all its glory (and i got a LOT of
glory!)  thats cool.   if not, have others seen this phenomenon?

iowaplayer