So, I am hoping someone can offer some help. I am a pretty solid player and can bend all of the possible notes out of a harp.
However....when sustaining the 3 half bend and trying to get it to sound as open and full as the other notes it stands out a bit still. I hit the note right and can get it fairly close in tone but it still is a little stangled sounding.
Any advice on how to get it all the way there? It sounds ok as a note in passing or even as part of a scale. It is just when I try and hold it for more than two beats and the song I am playing is pretty and light.
Learn to hum/sing/whistle the tone you are trying to play. Simply, your note sounds bad because your mouth cavity is not in the proper position to accurately resonate that tone.
---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
You'll likely never make the bent 3 draw sound exactly the same as the other notes when playing acoustic. Even if you think you are, it will stand out in a recording. There was something called the Ode to Joy challenge a few years back on harp-l, if you'd like to read more about the subject you could Google it.
Make sure you've got your harmonica deep in your mouth to create a good sounding box and work with your hand cupping and just practice it over and over.
You can try letting up a little bit at the end of the note (sliding up a little) or giving it a little vibrato.
If you are playing 2nd position you could try 1st for something soft and pretty.
I'm sure some of the other guys will have some advice too. Welcome to the forums. :)
edit- Lol. When I started posting there were no other posts.
Last Edited by on Jan 20, 2010 3:38 PM
The ode to joy files don't exists anymore. They were on an old server of mine but its out of commission.
Joe is correct thuogh, you can't make all of the notes sounds equal to the others, however I don't think that is exactly what the OP is talking about.
HarmonicaMick, just relaxing and lowering your jaw isn't going to do it. There are two diatonic players that I think have perfect acoustic tone, Howard Levy is one of them. ---------- "The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell
maybe this will help jerry portnoys 3 hole bend e ew o aw.e or da natral note ew half step bend o full step bend aw thats the hard one is th 1 and a half step bend droping your jaw each step .this helped me .hope it helps you.
Well, here goes. Thanks everyone so far for the advice and since I was asked to post a vid for better feedback here it is.
I am just learning this tune so it is a bit embarassing to post in such a raw state but if I can't let it all hang out here then there is no hope for me.
In the video I play the half bend(ish) 3 a few times and then I play the audio to the tune I am learning (greenstone waters -Brendan Power and Andrew white check it out if you haven't heard it.see below my vid) on the headset in one ear so you can hear just my harp but so the track can help my tuning. I am not adding any real vibrato or hand techniques which may help disguise the awful duck squishing sound of the bend itself as I will when I play the tune with a guitarist.
Fire away...oh and Brendan plays this on a chromatic, which I could also do but this is a real way to push my skill and I am having fun. a last resort will be to just tune my spare D harp so the bent note is actually on the harp, may do that too but want to perfect my bends.
Help is much appreciated folks, thanks.
And here it is by a true pro...this is what I was listening to in my ear.
