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Forums :: Ask Instructor David Barrett

General Bending Question

2 replies [Last post]
Tue, 06/04/2019 - 17:05
Barn0wl2K
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Joined: 01/26/2019

First off, I am loving your lessons so far! I'm working through the Theory of Music - 1 lessons of late, and have a question about bending. You mention that as we perform a bend, that essentially we are using both the draw and blow reeds on that hole. I would gather from this that double-reed harmonicas (such as the Hohner Echo and Comet) would not be "bendable"? That the construction of 2 blow (or draw) reeds on that single split hole would prevent a person from bending these?

Thanks for an amazing site and great lessons!

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Tue, 06/04/2019 - 17:52
#1
David Barrett
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ExpertHead InstructorTeacher 10Level 10
Joined: 12/20/2009
Thank you Barn0wl2K, I'm glad

Thank you Barn0wl2K, I'm glad you're enjoying your studies.

Exactly, due to the reed layout, it prevents bending.

Interesting fact... the chromatic harmonica does not have the same construction method as the diatonic harmonica, so the reeds don't interact together, but they will still bend (what's called a "single-reed" bend). They will only bend a little bit though, around a half step.

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Wed, 06/05/2019 - 08:54
#2
Barn0wl2K
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Joined: 01/26/2019
Thanks again!

I hadn't thought about the Chromatic in the context of bending. That's very interesting and good to know.

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