phogi
2 posts
Aug 27, 2009
3:19 AM
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Question for y'all.
The 4 hole bent down a half step is often bent farther than the half step. Often bent to the floor on certain well known licks by well known players, sometimes this sounds great and other times terrible.
My opinion is that it (bending past the semitone) works
1)When moving from the 4 blow (the 4th) to 4 draw bent a half step (the #4), and then back to 4 blow. This is void if you are doing so really fast.
2)If you are moving from a given note (except 4 draw) and leap to the 4 draw bent a half step, then move to 4 blow
And that it does not work
1)In scale passages where you approach from above (unless you are going to end it on 4 blow) or below (particularly if passing it)
2)Anything rapid. If its rapid, its got to be in tune for me. Else it sounds like bees that can't harmonize.
However, I also note that the degree of bend could be worked as a progressive element by working a lick, gradually bending more each time you come to that note...
So, the question is, how do y'all feel about that? I realize that some will say "just feel it." While I can't argue much with that opinion, because my descriptions are me stating what I feel when playing and listening, it does not do much to communicate what is actually happening in the music.
So, what are your feelings about this note and the degree of bend?
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kudzurunner
665 posts
Aug 27, 2009
4:59 AM
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Basically I agree with your thinking. This particular topic is rarely explored. Your average harp player thinks "bent 4 draw" is a THING, not a selection of things.
There's a wonderful harp instrumental by William Clarke, from his pre-"discovery" period (pre-Alligator), set at a very relaxed shuffle, in which he starts with a VERY slightly bent 4 draw and holds it, working it slowly downward for two bars before descending through the 3 draw to the 2 draw. He does the same line three times in a row. This particular blues chorus is, for me, one of the most expressive uses of the RANGE of 4 draw bends. (I can't remember the name of the cut.)
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mr_so&so
193 posts
Aug 27, 2009
8:13 AM
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phogi and kudzu, thanks for this. Another subtlety worth examining. The same logic should also apply to the six draw bend... in third position, say.
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GermanHarpist
568 posts
Aug 27, 2009
11:42 AM
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And not only that, you can bend all draw notes close to the blow notes. I also thought this to be really irritating, cos the cheapo harps that I play only bend half a step. The nice thing about that is, that i can use the distorted effect of bending a note to the max while playing the intermediate bend...
When playing on better harps I simply try to bend it to the correct pitch, i.e. not bending it to the max.
phogi, bending to the max is ok, when what you do is substituting the bend with the blow note. If you actually try to hit the intermediate bend, but the pitch that you play is of the blow note, of course this is wrong.
I hope my phrasing is not too confusing.
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germanharpist, harpfriends on Youtube
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Andrew
539 posts
Aug 29, 2009
3:18 AM
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I'm afraid I don't understand the question or the answers.
Adam describes a lick that reminds me of what Hendrix plays on Voodoo Child after he sings "I've got a hummingbird and it plays so loud"
A couple of weeks back whilst noodling I discovered the joy of micro-tonal 4-draw bends.
Adam seems to be advocating this. But keep in mind that in one of his YouTube videos he points out that beginners don't bend the 4-draw far enough - in a fast draw-based lick the 4-blow is impossible, so the 4 draw bent 3/4 (or more) of a tone can mimic the 4-blow well enough to act as a bridging note.
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harpwrench
77 posts
Aug 29, 2009
9:41 AM
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Bending the 4 draw all the way to the "floor" could be purposely useful in some microtonal situations. But it's also destructive to the reeds, especially when you lean on it at that point, and do it every time you use that bent note.
What I'm saying is if you're hard on harps and this is how you routinely play the bent notes, instead of playing the bends in tune, this is one of the reasons your harps don't last. And IMO it's also why harp players often don't get respect from other musicians.
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phogi
7 posts
Aug 29, 2009
9:46 AM
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"in a fast draw-based lick the 4-blow is impossible, so the 4 draw bent 3/4 (or more) of a tone can mimic the 4-blow well enough to act as a bridging note."
That is a cool idea. I will have to try it.
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Andrew
543 posts
Aug 29, 2009
9:48 AM
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"if...this is how you routinely play the bent notes, instead of playing the bends in tune"
Yes, of course I agree with this. I long ago realised that it's an easy mistake to bend the two draw too far - it's unmusical. Clearly the same goes for the 4 draw.
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