bending damage
Sun, 12/18/2011 - 22:38
Is it true that bending a note too far down is harder on your harmonica or is this a myth or misunderstanding created from people that are new to bending and using more power to bend further rather than simply changing their embouchure? If it does damage by bending further, why?
-Taylor
Tue, 12/20/2011 - 22:00
#2
So bending a 3''' down isn't
So bending a 3''' down isn't necessarily bad for your harmonica if it's done lightly? It's the force, not the power that is the harp killer?
Fri, 12/23/2011 - 18:03
#3
Right.
Right. At the bottom of the Draw 3 bend, the blow reed is doing 90 percent of the work anyway, and it's either at or within a semitone of its default opening pitch. Even if it were to bend farther away from its default pitch, it still wouldn't suffer as long as it weren't stressed with too much force.
On a standard diatonic, the range of a bend is limited. Trying to force it past that limit stresses the reed.
I'd make a distinction between power and force. Excessive force often won't result in much power.
For instance, you can *gently* bend a note down its rock-bootm-cain't-go-no-further bottom and make it sound like it has plenty of power and volume. But you don't need force to do it, just persuasion.
I have harps where I've bent notes for years with no noticeable effect.
I also have harps where I've broken reeds without ever trying to bend a note - I just played them too hard and used more force than the reed could handle.