Re: [Harp-L] bending

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

That's why playing the C scale in the first octave on a C harp is the best practice. It requires bends for the F and A. And just about anybody can tell if the notes are on pitch. It's the familiar do ra me scale. The major scale also works on an major harp with two bent notes. This is the same scale as holes 4-7. 


For those beyond this level; get a guitar app for iPod, iPad, iPhone. Check out TrueFire which has 18 mobile  apps. Yes, they are GUITAR apps. Just ignore the graphics and listen to the sound. 50 blues rhythms. 50 R & B guitar licks. 50 slow blues licks. etc.


The best and easiest -- and the most efficient -- way to learn to bend to pitch is with an electronic keyboard. Once the bending technique is mastered: (say eeee owww on the draw) match the sound of the keyboard with the harmonica.  Find middle or low C on the keyboard. Line up the keyboard notes with the harp. Identify the blow notes on the keyboard. Paste on stickers if you have to.  


Or get a keyboard app for you iPhone, iPod, iPad and use it to match the pitches for bends.


Blow 1 is C; draw 1 is D. The black note between them on they keyboard is the bent note. That is true for the first six holes. 


Blow 2 is E; draw 2 is G; the notes between them are the bent notes on draw hole 2: F#, F. 


Blow 3 is G , draw 3 is B, the bent notes are Bb, A, Ab. 


Blow 4 is C, draw 4 is D; the bent note is Db/C#. 


Blow 5 is E, draw 5 is F; there is no real bend  here -- because there is no note between E and F, tho some people claim it is a quarter bend; others call it noise. 


Blow 6 is G, draw 6 is A; the bent note is Gb/A#.




Electronic keyboards have several advantages. They stay in tune. Some cost only $50. They will play the "bent" note as long as it takes to find the bend note on the harmonica. The keyboard app- for iPhones, iPods, iPads etc cost only a few bucks.


Hope this helps.
Phil
















. 












-----Original Message-----
From: Eric Miller <miller.eric.t@xxxxxxxxx>
To: jim.alciere <jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Mon, Jul 15, 2013 12:44 pm
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] bending


I found that hitting bent notes is actually easier in the context of a
scale, especially when the adjacent notes in the scale are on the same
hole, it seems like less of a challenge (to me)

this one is hard, especially on lower keyed harps:

1B 2B 3B 4B 3B 2B 1B (should intuitively sound familiar, major triad)

Now do the same thing, up and down holes 1,2,3,4,3,2,1. This time  start
start with the 1D 1/2 step, and find the other notes (I won't tab them for
you here...its part of the fun of figuring it out by feel and ear)

then, do it again starting with the 1D natural (hint:  the 4 is also draw
natural, only 2 and 3 are bent on this iteration)
then back down ( start on 1D 1.2 step, start on 1 B, etc)
do that over and over, up and down.  Pretty hard at faster tempos w/
metronome, especially on low harps that require more jaw movement on the
lower holes.




On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 12:19 PM, <jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Hi
>
> I know how to bend. I'm looking at interesting scales that would require me
> to bend accurately, as opposed to hitting a blue note--like playing a
> pentatonic scale in 5th position would require me to hit the 3 hole inhale
> bend right on.
>
> Any tips for ear training?
>
> Jim
>