Bends and Frequencies
Mon, 04/13/2020 - 04:54
Hi,
To start with, my hearing isn't great so I do have a bit of trouble telling the difference between a B and B flat - I am practising my 4 draw (I can do the 6 ok), so to help me I'm using apps to help out like the T1 Tuner app and the harpninja app on the iphone. When I do a simple draw on hole 4 it comes out at about 500Hz, and when I try to bend I'm struggling to get below 480. What sort of range is generally ok? I don't want to get too clinical with numbers, but I do use them as a bit of a crutch for my hearing!
thanks
Duncan
Hello Duncan.
To hear the difference between B and Bb will be developed over time (you're not deficient, it's something that you need to be trained to hear over time). I'm not familiar with using Hz as a tool for bending, but I am familiar with Harp Ninja. When bending that 4 draw, your eventual goal (this will take time) is to get the hole to light up green. It goes from 4-green, to 4-yellow, to 4-red, then 4'-red, to 4'-yellow, and then finally to 4'-green. Green tells you that you're in tune for that note/bend.
The simple key is that you're not playing a bend, you're playing a note... when you reach the note that you're shooting for in tune, then you're good. If you're bending to hit a specific note (say 3" A in a C Major Scale, or that same note in a song where another instrument is playing with you), then it's important hit it dead-on. The goal is a note, not a musical effect.
if you're using the bend for expression (say that you hit the 3, then bend it slightly for emotional effect, and then you're back up to normal pitch), then how far you bend depends on what sounds good and musically effective for that run.