Can bending really be taught?
Tue, 10/13/2015 - 14:26
i took up the harmonica again recently. I had played as a kid, but got freaked out about the draw notes. The guy I was studying with said my draw notes were too hard, that reeds could break off, go to my lungs and kill me. Anyway, my efforts at bending are frustrating. When I do get a note to drop pitch, it never has anything to do with my tongue. It always seems to have something to do with the shape of my oral cavity.
I'm starting to think that some people just can't bend and I'm one of them. I'd like your input before I throw in the towel.
Hello fcone. Wow, "reeds could break off, go to my lungs and kill me," that's pretty rough! First off, it's very rare for a reed to fall out, and even more so to go into your throat (I've only heard of it happening twice), and as far as I know there's never been death by harmonica. So we're okay there :-)
Bending is no doubt the most challenging technique you'll learn on the harmonica, so you're not alone in your frustration. In my experience, I have never come across a student that I could't teach how to bend, you just have to have determination and patience. Make sure to reviewing my Bending Study 1 very often.
Work on this for a bit and record yourself doing some bends and send it to me and I'll take a listen for you and give you some tips.