Re: [Harp-L] weird bending?

[Mike Price <mikerockin@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been bending notes on regular diatonic  harps for 25 years now and the only way I can blow bend holes 1-4 is on the new Suzuki sub30 "unltrabend" harmonica. Are you sure your BLOW bending 1-4  and not DRAW bending?

*** Mike

I would have to see or hear it to believe it.
On Dec 23, 2012, at 8:02 PM, karen mass <kdmass7@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> 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