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.
I was waiting for someone more knowledgeable to answer this,but until they come along I'll have to do. Are you using your lips to get the bend? If your tongue is far forward and your lips are pursed tight it might sound like that. Get the bend from the back of your throat with your tongue kind of curling towards the roof of your mouth. Sorry,hard to decribe.
Last Edited by on Jan 31, 2010 8:08 PM
I believe I am getting it with my tongue and not my lips. the harp is pretty far in my mouth and I am moving my tougue back and opening the back of the throat as best I can to get a fuller tone. I will try it a few times concentrating only on your suggestion and see what happens. I am at work right now but will try it on my lunch break...thanks.
old wailer, yeah check out brendan's channel he has a bunch of videos posted with Andrew and a CD with some blues tunes too. Brendan is in my top 5 these days for stuff like this.
Tuckster thanks for the tip, I tried to see if it was what you suggested and I couldn't get a bend with my tongue forward and lips pursed tight so I think it is not that. my tongue moves back to get the bend and my lips stay open, relaxed and half way over the harp from the best I can tell.
Sorry I wasn't more help. I listened again,maybe the reed is a little flat? or your taking it too far down? It's hard to tell without being in the same room.
yeah I don't hit the right note everytime. sometimes it is flat or sharp (actually probably most of the time) but I am more wondering about the tone the honkiness of that note. I hope with a bit more pracitce on the tune I will get the pitch right everytime but want to also work on teh tone of it.
