I have been a musician my entire life but lost the ability to play my instruments due to a serious accident. The harmonica is pretty much the only instrument I am physically able to play and actually progress on. I got an East Top 008K to start on and figured that once I progressed a bit, I’d get some really good harps. I am now several weeks in and despite watching all the videos I could find, and practicing diligently, I simply cannot bend at all and I fear it is due to my tongue/mouth (more info below).
I could never roll my R’s, even after years of Spanish classes in school, I can’t fold/roll/wrinkle my tongue, etc. Whenever I try to manipulate it in my mouth (to roll it into a U shape, etc), it just compacts (getting smaller horizontally and larger vertically). I am terrified that my genetics might be holding me back from learning the only instrument left that I could actually play.
The only modulation in pitch I can achieve is by using my lips and mouth to create suction but it doesn’t involve my tongue at all and it only goes down maybe 1/4th of a step. Any help at all would be helpful. I need to be able to make music, I can’t live otherwise. Thank you!
It took me ages to get any kind of movement on the notes, so my advice would be to stick with it, make progress on everything that isn’t bending because all that will indirectly help with the bending.
It also seems to me that no matter how people describe what they’re doing becuase everyone’s mouth is different and will interact with the instrument differently there is a large amount of figuring out how it works for you. Just because trying what x,y,z said is how to bend didn’t work for you or work right away doesn’t mean you won’t or can’t find a way to get the bends.
There’s also lots you can do with it without bends.
I don’t think it’s your genetics, I had a stutter when I was a kid, and I still much to my wife’s amusement pronounce some words oddly, I have one Lung too. It does take a long time to learn how to bend it’s just perseverance. Imagine your whistling backwards, And try saying tee - Oh. I’ve told members about this method before some have had success with it.
Thank you. I’ll keep at it. I have no experience with using my mouth and lungs to play an instrument so I really am starting from scratch. I even take my harmonica in the car on my commute and wait for traffic lights….sit there pulling on 4…moving my mouth and tongue all around lol. It makes traffic lights go faster but since I’ve been unsuccessful bending, it makes them no less frustrating.
I was actually watching this video last night. I got to where I can whistle a descending note while whistling ‘inwards’ but still can’t bend on the damn harp. I’m going to try it again tonight using this approach. thank you so much for commenting, it’s very much appreciated.
@RockNProle In the grand scheme of things several weeks is no time at all.
Did you get Luke’s Beginner to Boss course? There are around 80 lessons in that course before bending comes in. There is loads to learn before starting to be concerned about bends.
Keep music making fun.
I’ll definitely look into it. I always had a tendency to try and run before I could walk, so that’s definitely good advice. Just 15 minutes ago I had the breakthrough and can bend a half step down on 2, 3, 4 and 6. But I immediately realize that I’ve been so worried about bending, I can’t even incorporate the bends into anything worthwhile because I’ve just been pulling on 4 for 2 weeks lol. I definitely am looking for a good harmonica course so thank you for the suggestion!
Congratulations @RockNProle for getting your first bend. I agree with Piglet, advice from others about technique is helpful but we’re all different, so you also have to figure it out for yourself. You can probably imitate a foreign accent or a famous actors voice or a cartoon character, but I bet you can’t tell me how you do it! I also agree with David that several weeks is not much time at all. I didn’t even attempt a bend for longer than that.
There is a lot of advice on this forum about relaxing when you play, not just in regard to bending. As you said yourself, it seems like you are trying to run before you walk and that doesn’t sound relaxed.
I’m glad you have found the harmonica, and I hope you learn to love it.
Peace love and healing.
Be very careful how hard you blow and draw too as you can flatten your harmonica. If I were you find a backing tracks in C and Play C just get a feel in first position then get a G backing tracks try bending in second position and so on but take your time sit up or stand up straight, relax and tap your feet. I’m really happy that you’ve made progress
[quote=“PapaCurly, post:10, topic:21503, full:true”]
Congratulations @RockNProle for getting your first bend. I agree with Piglet, advice from others about technique is helpful but we’re all different, so you also have to figure it out for yourself. You can probably imitate a foreign accent or a famous actors voice or a cartoon character, but I bet you can’t tell me how you do it!
I agree with that statement 100% when I first started some 30 odd years ago, I had to choose an instrument to help me with my injuries to build up my existing lung. I was given a lot to choose from but I chose harmonica because I was just getting into Blues and I thought the harp sounded cool.
I learned the above technique which I’ve described from a friend who was an outstanding player. As I said that was a long time ago. My playing is completely different now especially my approach to bending I tend to tongue block bends and chords etc when I first started out I was a purser, my sound has also changed it’s a lot deeper richer and darker, I really can’t tell people what I’m playing now especially live as I do things in the moment. I sincerely do believe like anything else you need to discover your own way of doing things because as you say every one has their own voice. I will end this with a quote from Paul Butterfield ( a purser) he said something along the lines of " I quickly realized I couldn’t do a lot of what those classic players could do, I admired players like Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson II but I just couldn’t sound like them so I had to find my own voice and express myself my way" I think it kind of worked out for him
I was a piano player and band and orchestra director for school ensembles. Gave myself carpal tunnel pretty bad and had to take a year off of the keys. Took up harmonica.
Being a musician you will have a faster learning curve than non-musicians, by a lot. But the diatonic harmonica has a long learning curve for serious play.
Concerning genetics, neither curling or rolling the tongue are required. If you are able to talk, you are already doing things that are far more complex than the admittedly complex use of the tongue for harmonica.
The main thing you probably need to do is 1) Give yourself the time and patience to be a beginner again. It will be frustrating unless you can create a beginner’s mindset. 2) Do not try to teach yourself like many harp players do. I did, and it cost me years of advancement. Even for very advanced players, lessens accelerate progress.
Luke, who runs this site, has a curriculum that I hear is good starting point. There are a number of online harmonica schools as well, all of which are helpful. But if you want to get good faster, 1:1 lessons are critical.
Online lessons are great, they let you access very good teachers even if they are not located near you.
I self-taught for a decade or so. I got pretty good. But lessons changed the game for me. After a number of months, they way people responded to my playing changed to being much, much more positive. I stopped for awhile and developed on my own. Then I started taking lessons again, and again, progress started to accelerate.
Bending will come in time, don’t rush it. Learn the harp in 1st position first playing basic folk tunes. Over time you will learn to sense the airstream and be more effective at managing it.
I’ve been playing for quite a few years (30,) and I’ve been considering Joining Dennis Grunelling’s site as I think he could point me the way I want to go. Two of my favorite players highley recommend him.
