low draw bends
Mon, 01/04/2016 - 09:43
Greetings David!
I seem to do well practicing draw bend except when I get to the 2nd and 1st holes. The 2nd hole in particular gives me a very bad time. When I try a full step draw bend it sounds like I'm torturing a small animal. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Chris
Mon, 01/04/2016 - 10:31
#2
draw bends
Thaks David for your speedy reply. I will heed your advice and practice not trying so hard. I love your site and will be on it for a very long time. You are a terrific instructor.
Mon, 01/04/2016 - 10:31
#3
draw bends
Thaks David for your speedy reply. I will heed your advice and practice not trying so hard. I love your site and will be on it for a very long time. You are a terrific instructor.
Mon, 01/04/2016 - 13:53
#4
Thank you, I'm glad you're
Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the lessons.
Greeting Chris. I in my past have tortured many small animals and my students on a daily basis continue that tradition of torture, so you're in good company! My guess is that you're focusing too much on constriction (squeezing your tongue to the roof of your mouth)... more experimenting time on achieving the proper location in the mouth with your tongue is needed.
Focus on the "she" to "kee" to "ku" movement as taught in the first bending lesson and make sure that the last step of the bend is located somewhere around your last set of teeth, or just slightly behind them. It's possible that you're trying to go too far back.
Reminder... it doesn't take a lot of "force." Most students when picking up the harmonica can't play the 2... it's bending... bending to 2". So without trying, 70% of students do a whole step bend. Focus on location... and of course the months that it takes of experimenting to find it :-)
For hole 1, focus on humping your tongue as far back as possible.