Posted by Marc (216.119.41.62) on July 13, 2000 at 12:49:47:
In Reply to: interesting 2 and 3 hole draw problem posted by Ron on July 13, 2000 at 09:43:45:
Bent notes shouldn't take that much pressure -- they really shouldn't be that different from unbent notes. If you bend by pursing your lips or by shrinking the size of your oral cavity with your tongue, you will run into this problem. Try to open your mouth and bend with the deepest part of your throat. This will also give you a more full-sounding tone. A properly performed draw-bend should actually be louder and have more power than the corresponding un-bent note.
Another possible contributing factor is that your harmonica may not be good. Some leak air, making clean bends much more challenging. You might want to try a different one to see if you are still having the same problem.
-- Good Luck!
: I started playing a few months ago and can now play clean notes with tounge blocking and semi clean notes with the whistle method. I can also bend 1, 4 and 6 fairly well. I am still having trouble with the 2 hole draw on a C harp and the 3 hole draw on an A harp. I find that I can play them cleanly but with not much power. The problem is the resitance of air flowing through the harp on the draw. The air can either go in through my harp or through my nose. Unfortunately for me the path through the snoot is the path of least resistance and most of the air takes that path. It's not like I have a rhino nose or anything - just an average human nose. I do find that when I pinch the old beak while playing the 2 or 3 hole draw I can get the air to go through the harp and voila - good sound. Short of shoving ear plugs up my nose does anybody have any suggestions? Thanks