From: "Welter, Ted" Date: Mon, 26 Jan 1998 08:57:50 -0600 Subject: RE: Rockin'Robin/Whammer (high end blow bends)
Thanks to all who helped me out. I got it to work on the Low F first (which I can do with some control), then G, and then the A (which I still have trouble with in that I overshoot and flip the bend with that harsh little squeal). Practice Practice Practice.
-----Original Message----- From: Adam T. Valleau [SMTP:harpnm~x.netcom.com] Sent: Friday, January 23, 1998 7:11 PM To: BluesGe~ol.com Cc: harp~arply.com Subject: Re: Rockin'Robin/Whammer
Ted Welter wrote: > > > I've been working > >the high end more and more lately, and I can get blowbends on 8 and 9, > >but the 10 hole bend (at least on the A harp) is eluding me.
Dave (BluesGeek) wrote: > > Maybe try in on a G until you get the hang of it. If that doesn't work, try a > low F or Eb maybe. Once you get it, you can strengthen you A by getting good > at that bend on the higher harps.
====================================================================== Hi All!
I agree 100% with Dave on this (of course you all know how my harp resume compares with his...uugggh!). Anyway, I agree with him. I say this because I've been working on that darn 10 hole blow bend. It has been really tough! Someone suggested practicing on the lower keyed harps. So, I began with my low D and Low Eb, then graduated to the G (perhaps my favorite key). FINALLY, I discovered how to really make that blow bend on 10 sound! I knew from information gained here and other sources like Steve Baker's Harp Handbook and Portnoy's Masterclass disks, that I need to do the opposite of what I did to achieve draw bends on the low notes. That is, for low note draw bends, I must make my mouth cavity LARGER by dropping my jaw and doing various wiggly things with my tongue. So, for the higher notes to bend, I needed to make my mouth smaller. Now, I've had all the regular draw bends and blow bends in holes 7, 8 and 9 down pat for some time, but the 10 hole bend just kept eluding me.
The big problem with getting the 10 hole bend was making my mouth cavity small enough (and those who know me will understand how someone with my foghorn voice could have this problem). I just kept working at it and one day, when I wasn't paying too much attention, it just "clicked" and I sort of discovered how to get the 10 hole bend more or less consistently. I found, that at least for me, I had to sort of purse my lips and draw in the walls of my mouth, not unlike the effect I get when I suck a few lemons in the summer. The difficulty was the tongue. Seemed like I couldn't find the right place put that tongue! I learned that if I arched my tongue upward just behind the tip and "shoved" that side of the arched tongue toward my front teeth,and bring the teeth together some, something like a pocket of air was formed in front of the advancing tongue and the 10 hole reed bent! I played around with this effect and practiced with it by moving the tongue back and forth causing the 10 hole reed to oscillate between bent and unbent. Using this effect also improved the blow bends on the other notes, too!
So, that's how I discovered to get the elusive 10 hole blow bend on ANY harp. Starting with the lower keyed harps definitely helps you to learn the technique because the reeds are longer and the notes lower in these harps and such reed are a little easier to blow bend. Now, I've gotten up to C harps with a farily decent 10 blow bend, and I'm working hard on getting smooth and even bends on the high end of the harp.
A big step for me, I think.
So, get those low harps, purse your mouth and shove your tongue toward your teeth to start with. Try different positions of the tongue, lips, teeth and even the walls of your mouth until you make that reed BEnD!
And good luck!
--- Regards,
Adam T. Valleau (Yer Harpoon Man) Baltimore, MD
Check out the MOSH Web Site at: http//www.dllr.state.md.us/labor
