bending and correct pitch
I have 2 questions about bending.
I can bend on holes 1 thru 6, but I’m struggling with how far I bend and almost always pass were I need to stop bending. I’m using Harp Ninja which is what is showing me that I’m bending too far. Then there is hole 3 where I go directly to the full step bend skipping the half step bend. Is there a trick to getting the correct pitch when bending? I’m just starting level 3 studies.
My second question is I’m using the Hohner Crossover harmonicas and Harp Ninja shows the pitch of each blow and draw note a little high which I think is normal. If that is true, when I try to get the correct pitch when bending notes, do I also need to keep the pitch of the bent notes a little high so there is the correct separation between notes?
Thank you,
Brian in Tennessee
Hello Brian.
1...
This is a very common challenge on the harmonica.
For 3' and 3" you're humping the tongue too far back in the mouth. The key is in the "Shee" and "Kee" position of your bend in the Shee-Kee-Koo exercise I give you in Bending Study 1. In other words, you need to work on humping the front of your tongue, further forward in your mouth for the 3' (it will feel similar to the 6') and more of the front-middlle for the 3". This will take practice over time... this is one of the challenging aspects of bending.
The same focus is for the 2'.
When going to any of the bottom bends (1', 2", 3''', 4', and 6') go as far as you can, you don't need to stop when it's green for those pitches... it sounds more bluesy to be deeper. The times when you DO need to be more cautious on your pitch for those is when you're playing in unison with another instrument, or if you're playing a pretty melody where that bend is required (while a deeper bend sounds bluesy in blues, it will sound flat in a known melody).
2...
You're correct, this is normal. Shoot for making the hole green... no need to adjust your bends upwards.