Yes the dreaded (atleast for us beginners) whole step two draw bend! Currently im able to activate the bend reliably on all the harmonicas i own, G is the lowest pitch and F natural is my highest pitch harmonicas. My problem, is with a C harp and lower Im having an issue activating the 2 draw without growling. I make the bend happen with a few different syllabuls. Mainly, kuh, duh, tuh , pretty much always an “uh” shape. Another way I can describe how I activate it, is I sort of flip into a Darth Vader type breathing. I can feel back of my tougne vibrating while it happens. Sounds killer when I play the low rider riff haha but its not always the sound I want.
Now where im jamming mostly rock and roll with my buddies, its not a big deal and kinda sounds cool most of the time but I know im doing something wrong. I suspect that im probably not relaxed enough and am probably tensing up in anticipating of the bend.
Any tips on how I can deal with this? Like any instrument I suspect that with time and practice I should be more comfortable and relaxed but im afraid that if I keep playing my 2 draw bend like this im going to perpetuate a bad habit.
Yeah the Darth Vader type breathing can be helpful for the low bends for sure. I don’t think you’re developing a bad habit, and yes, as you said, it’s gonna keep getting easier and you’ll find various ways to accomplish it with time and practice. Keep up the great work! Congratulations on your progress!
Have you ever drank fruit juice through a straw? Have you ever had a piece of fruit stuck in the straw? Try to draw as you did at that moment. (p.s. This isn’t my idea. This is how legendary polish harmonician Sławek Wierzcholski learn).
A very good player told me to play the Batman theme song. I did not watch the show but remember it. he suggested the following riff just for this bend and it helped. -2 -2 -2// -2// -2/ -2/ -2/ -2/ -2 -2. Had to find the song but did and listened and playing the beginning with this riff sure helped me hit the -2// and then ease in the -2/.
I just tried that and believe it or not it kind of gave me a breakthrough! Thanks a lot. Part of my problem is I’ve been neglecting -2’ over the -2’‘. That little riff starting forcing me to take it in steps and once my -2’ was getting clean (was already less growly than -2’‘) the next note followed suit. Thank you!
Now I just need to commit hitting it clean to muscle memory.
Practice and more practice. I seldom play the -*2// or-3///. No tunes I like have them and frankly they do not sound good to me. With respect to the =*2/ try to freeze everything in your mouth when you hit it and see where your tongue is situated. I find it easier to hit a. - *2// and then release into the -*2/. If you can whistle inhaling you can bend a note. It is ease to go through the sweet spot. Listen to a male Bob White quail whistle on U Tube and if you can get close to this put a harp in place and mimic the sound. Your tongue does exactly the same thing to bend as you will do to replicate the first part of the quail whistle. I just wish someone would have told me tp do this at the get go. I would have gotten my first bend months earlier.
Just wanted to share my progress with this issue. As I practiced the 2 draw bend more, it eventually turned “clean”. I just needed to get more comfortable with it. It took a while maybe a month or so.
What I thought was a bad thing with my tongue vibrating, turned out to actually be a blessing in disguise. I eventually realized as I was able to play the note cleanly, that I was actually growling. The vibrating tongue feeling was really like a snoring type thing and I can actually do it all the way up to the 4 draw now. I basically accidentally discovered how to growl through learning the 2 draw bend. So if anyone is having an issue trying to growl, it might be easier to start learning on the 2 draw wholestep bend. The “Kuh” zone that a lot of people use to start learning that bend is an easy spot to activate growling, at least for me.
Its extremely difficult and probably impossible to play a good bend without hit the note spot on. Having a clean and warm harp does you a big favor. If I play late at night and the temperature drops and the humidity rises quality of play falls off. i place my harps on the deck and let them warm up if its sunny and dry. Makes a big difference.
That makes a lot of sense. I played clarinet in high-school and i use to just blow warm air through my instrument to warm it up. It makes sense that harmonicas are also sensitive to cold temperatures.
I spoke to a few good harp players and all said breath temperature is best. I just lay them outside on a deck for 15 minutes when it is sunny and warm. If not a hair drier on low gets the job done. The harp seems to respond better and bends much easier. I hear the -2 first and second step give problems be their all about the same to me. Not saying I good at them but I am at the point activating a bend is easy and holding it without a change in tune are slowly coming. I do not focus much on the -2// or =3/// as the tunes I play do not require them. I do practice all but frankly feel they sound too deep for me. I have had the best luck with the -2// and -3/// by starting there and easing into the next higher semitone. When I get to a -3// from the =3/// I hold it to practice playing as light as I can but with more consistent tone. If the is anyone out there that has figured out how to play a good bend without hit the mote just right please let me know.
I have no problem getting if I start with it first. Any chance you are going through it or moving your tongue to far back. I lay it but do not emphasize it as my favored tunes do not have in. That being said not being able to have it in my quiver would result in not being a complete harp player if practice pays off over the long haul at a satisfactory rater. I am 71.
@scott4 Have you practiced different ways of bending. I find using the Bend it better tool useful.
I have a tendency to over bend the 3 draw full step bend into a step and a half by applying to much pressure but, I’m working on it. It’s all matter of experimenting and finding what works for you.
What I’d like to do is have a get together with members of this forum and do a video chat so we can all help each other out. Over on Matrix I have a video chat room where we could do this. Not sure if you’re interested in this.
can play the +2// bit play no tunes that require it. If you are getting a -3/// first and ease out of it you should hear the +2//. Not a large spot but once you have the three step drop to a two step by slowly slinging your tongue forward. I do this ang play the second step as long as I can and play it as smooth as I can. This method allows me to hear it and feel the correct placement for a quick two step when required. Nothing beats learning by doing if you are like me. I just found it easier to go all the way down and ease inti the next step. Same goes for the *2//. Hope this helps.
So I’ve been practicing again after something of an extended frustrated flounce out on the harmonica (hands up anyone else been there?)
So, here’s my main bending frustration, I can initiate bends consistently, but can’t get near the whole range of the available bend, as in on 3- I can get about half and a bit, sometimes to whole step, and on 2- just over half step, but can’t get beyond that and there’s no way I can move my tongue or mouth further, it’s annoying me a lot. The pitch I hit on bends is kinda unreliable as well, but that’s a practice thing but the range on the bend is doing me in because I can’t think what more I could do to get the whole step and step and a half.
4- and 6- I can get the bend almost enough to put into a phrase.
@Piglet Keep practicing give yourself 5/10 minutes using the bend or better tool so you can gauge your progress. Do that often and things will fall into place quicker than you realise. If you can do it every day. At 10 mins a day that’s an hour a week 52 hours a year, you’ll be surprised how fast you improve.
If you can get the first step -2/ draw slide your tongue further back until you hear the drop. Play it and then s l o w l e y slide your tongue forward until you hit -2/.Also if you feel the back of your tongue touching lightly your teeth your are there. If you can tilt the harp up a bit this may be your problem. From the sound of thing you are very close. A warm and clean harp is much easier to play bends on I/M/O. If you can whistle inhaling while doing so and move your lower jaw back, Try this even if you cannot whistle inhaling. I do this when I want a dep bend. It should feel like you are are trying to whistle downward as your. Cannot say what it is that needs correcting but if you can activate a bend you will get the others. Let me know if this helps. If you can whistle backward and drop the pitch be careful not to go through the sweet spot. I do.t worry much about the third step as none of the tunes I play need it. The advantage is if you hit the -2// and -3/// bends just ease out of them and play the next higher step to get the feel of it. Hitting the note spot one is very critical.
