Contentious 6 draw
Tue, 09/16/2014 - 13:39
Hi David,
I'm working on the second bending study and my bends are coming along. I had to take a week off due to a painful cut in my mouth and now that I've started practicing again. Ever since I've been back, I am finding that I am having a lot of trouble with the 6 draw on my A harmonica (MB special 20).
The problem is that I'm getting this awful squeaking/screeching noise, the kind that seems to ring in your ears for awhile afterward. I can sometimes get the note to bend fine but it always seems like it's close to the awful screech. The weird thing is I was bending the 6 fine before my hiatus.
Any suggestions for controlling the 6 draw bend and avoiding this bad sound?
Thanks!
Andrew
Hello Andrew. The squeal happens when you're just beyond the reed's ability to bend. Focus on stopping your tongue movement before you get that sound. If it just jumps to that sound, you're humping your tongue in that position without sliding the bend down from the natural pitch of that reed. Start with more of the front of your tongue further forward in your mouth and slowly bend that 6 draw from its natural pitch to the full bend. If you feel the back of your tongue hump, stop it, you don't want the back of your tongue involved in the bending of the 6 draw, it can also cause this issue. Experiment, experiment, experiment.
P.S., also make note of your jaw placement... to be consistent in your bending practice you'll want your jaw to be in the same place. If one day your jaw is not lowered, it will be different than if you bend one day with your jaw lowered. Something to keep in mind as well.