Bending on different keys, 2 hole bend hard to get and tongue switching
Hello instructor, how´s things??
I´ve started as a pucker player, and I was just trying to figure out WHY my bended notes don´t sound "solid". in fact they are pretty much hard to get.. Also they sound a bit "airy" on A harp (-2), I pretty sure that when I try to get the maximum tone, they just "breake". It´s easyer for me to bend on C and D, but on the F it´s almost impossible (especially -2).
I think it´s sound crazy, but few days ago I was practicing the tongue blocking techinique on my hand, and I´ve noticed that my "body stills thinks" that the entire part of the tongue and "jaw droping" is still involved in the bending processes. I have to make so much effort to get 2 hole full bend!! What can you say abou that instructor??
Just one more question: I undestand that "TILTING" the harp when playing ampl. brings us some more muted sound and big tone... but it´s possible to place the harp parallel in relation to my front theeth before and play normally? beacause I don´t know why but placing it on the side fells a little more confortable, how does thtat affect tone?
Thank you again and sorry to disturb you!!
Good morning elmocamboharp, I'm doing well, thank you for asking.
Watch my bending lessons over and over... follow the exercises I give, they will lead you to where you need to go. Wether you're puckering or tongue blocking, the process is the same, the tongue humps up to create a constricted air passage and then you move that constriction point back to create the bend. In tongue blocking, the wave-like motion of the tongue (using more of the front of the tongue more frontal in the mouth when starting, then humping the middle of the tongue in the middle in the mouth, and then more of the back of the tongue further back in the mouth) is key. For puckering, the wave-like motion is used as well, though the tongue is free to move its entire body back a bit as well.
Keep in mind that the higher the reed or harmonica you're using the more frontal the bend will be controlled. The same reasoning applies to low bends, needing to use more of the back of the tongue further back in the mouth. The jaw can be handy on a 2" or lower on an A Harmonica or lower... but the jaw does not HAVE to be used for bending and should not be over relied upon.
You can keep your harmonica angled (right-hand side of the harmonica towards the right hand-cheek) all the time, that's not a problem.
Keep it up, you WILL get it, it just takes time and patience.