♫ How to Bend Harmonica Notes ♫ (My Top 3 Tips!)

[@compartmentofdirections]

I can only whistle while inhaling. I feel u, Jonah. Thanks for these videos. I’ve always had harmonicas around- decades- but just last week got serious about learning.

[@joebrady5591]

Me too!!! Surely there's a support group for people like us😢? And Jonah, you're not inept, you're frickin awesome my man!!!

[@frankeskrett4158]

Tried lots of bending lessons ….sounded awful….first bending lesson with you spot on……thank you.

[@henriquetomazonipenha2510]

dude for real, u are the ONLY ONE in all youtube that leterally teached me how to bend and I actually did it!! thanks SO MUCH it was really helpful

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Cool! What tip helped you the most? Just curious! Cheers! 🎉

[@henriquetomazonipenha2510]

@@HarmonicaRevolution The first one, the k of "ka ku" pointed where the bend started, really good for beginners notice it easier Thanks again 🥳👍♥️

[@i2su405]

Thanks! I just started playing harmonica a few hrs ago and thought bending would take me ages to learn because of things I’ve been told, but I used your example of “ta” and I already feel like pro😄 thanks

[@ernestturchi3954]

My man son! Your videos help.I think its Working bro ski. Thanks kid

[@dinsolasthemetalhead1923]

Oh my god I've literally been trying for weeks and I I was able Bend on my 4 draw I don't know but something about the way you explained it just made it click in my head thank you so much

[@oskarherrerabeltran7046]

Buenos tips. Me han ayudado mucho como principiante. Thanks a lot.

[@lancelotrozario5749]

You have made it so easy not only to understand but also to bend. Thanks.

[@patrickmills8412]

this really helps me with bending, thank you Jonathan

[@RomLitwin]

You are the man Jonah! thx for the tips

[@perroudchris]

I never write comments... But.... you re the first one teaching it correctly (at least by my point of view) thanks.

[@tnysteph]

Very helpful. I got a good bend on hole 2 with tongue blocking. Thanks, but I know I have to practice a lot more to get it locked down.

[@wilmynnel9064]

🎉🎉thanks to you I can really bend my notes now 🙏🙏thank you

[@jimmygray4072]

Cheers finally getting that bend on the second verse of Low Rider .taking me higher!

[@stewartbone4236]

Got it in 10 seconds, ka ku! Awesome. What a sound!! Thx.

[@phillipscott7653]

Cool I'm trying good info thanks

[@Sammy10100]

These bending techniques you described do they all do the same thing just different ways to do a bend. Great video.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Watch this video, it should explain things more! kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKG8Zoehhserias

[@Sammy10100]

@@HarmonicaRevolution thanks. I will.

[@nikkioneill7582]

Another tutorial showed the “inward whistle” and that didn’t work for me (I can’t whistle either!) A commenter who said “wrap your mouth tightly around one note, play a drawn note and just move your tongue back and forth, manipulating the space of the harmonica hole this way” got 180+ likes and that finally did the trick for me after all these years. Another tutor talked about a loose and relaxed mouth position, almost with the moist side of your lips touching the harp (no tight lip puckering on the harmonica’s outside) and manipulating the palate of the mouth, making the cavern smaller and larger. It seems to me like the trick is to do some sort of combination of the tongue blocking and manipulating the cavern of the mouth. And I guess when you do an inward whistle, or mouth a “too” or “taah”, you’re also manipulating the cavern… Basically, the commenter of this other video unlocked the mystery with getting a bend happening at all, but your video is helping me fine-tune it. Thanks!

[@Nick0Kyuubi0Narion]

i just wanted to thank you for these sweet videos friend! you remind me of so many nerdy college friends i made who get real excited about their instruments (i am often that friend myself!)

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Hey friends, it’s been a while since I made this video, so the link to the class has changed. The Bend Tuning Masterclass has been removed, but I teach bend tuning in the intermediate version of the Harmonica Accelerator, a course teaching you how to practice. Get access for free: bit.ly/accelerator-signup

[@andrespleesi4486]

Thanks,you are good teacher!

[@agriciobrazil2391]

Very nice!

[@boatsandbitsandbobs]

Just ordered a marineband hohner C :)

[@Chad-ski]

OooHooo it works😁

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

UPDATE: Watch the newest video on bending for more tips and MRI visuals: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKG8Zoehhserias

[@williamatwill8857]

Creating a vacuum inside my mouth helped me immeasurably. Unreal!

[@S.h-comma.to.the.top-Dynasty]

How reliable are those bending trainer apps?

[@one-handstrumman4616]

I can get the 3 and 4 bensds but barely manage the 2 more practice!

[@meh4371]

So does the air hit the blow and draw reed at the same time? or does the draw reed "bump" into the blow reed and cause them both to play? I think the former makes more sense, the latter sounds like it wouldn't work to be honest.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

This will explain it much better than I can. David Barrett did the research, pretty interesting. www.bluesharmonica.com/sites/bluesharmonica.com/files/mri_bending_study_barrett.pdf TLDR: Once you start bending, both reeds vibrate, and then the bend entirely transfers to the blow reed, and returns to the draw reed as the pitch comes back up.

[@musicoftheuniverse8006]

Hi. just want to ask... is bending only for inhale? thanks

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

You can bend on the low holes up to hole six. On holes 8-10 you can bend on the blow notes.

[@musicoftheuniverse8006]

@@HarmonicaRevolution Thank you very much. :)

[@bgdn5]

And instead of a tuner app to control banding, it's also convenient to use the piano keyboard app

[@kellyknauthbrown3491]

I think you've found your calling!!!!

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Thanks Kelly 🙏

[@Bigger-Than-Jesus]

Hey Jonah! I think ive got bending somewhat but maybe not a full step. Might be the lack of experience

[@stephenhensley5631]

I can only bend on the draw not the blow. Plus my lips feel like they're cramping . Any suggestions ?

[@calamityferret7188]

Does it "lock in" a bit on a note because of those unique dynamics or do you have to hit the half step by hearing and practice?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Hearing and practice

[@paulotoole744]

Hi Jonah I cant for the life of me get a bend on 3 draw I can get a slight bens on both 2 and 4 ,I also find 1 draw difficult to bend. But 3 draw half step is doing my head in I am puckering using Hohner 20 C Help !!!

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Focus on getting a good tone first. Generally when people can’t bend, that’s the problem. Keep your tongue low and your soft palate raised, and your jaw dropped slightly. Make sure you’re breathing with your diaphragm too, I have a video on my channel about that, watch it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sF7PlXR3btOqh5I Bending is really a motion of the tongue, so play around with your tongue positioning, and keep working through it. If you want personal help in a private lesson, email me at [e-mail]

[@BadCompany410]

To your pretty good at what you do but this time it was a little confusing my man. Not sure what’s missing and I know it’s me missing something. Thanks for your time bud. I just need to watch it a few times. I’m loving this.. really thank you. I am just a little confused. I’m not sure as to what exactly am I supposed to be doing to get the draw. It almost seems like you guys are showing us but leaving a little step out. That’s why I say I know it’s just me and now I’m babbling. I’m gonna leave you with a good day and God bless..🤦🏽

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

This is one of my earlier videos, try this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/opaanIukmLJ7hKcsi=C5fGFAY0emjNTpdI

[@totaltwit]

What is the technique to bend the top notes? The blow holes 8, 9 and 10? - BTW there's no need for background music, it's just distracting.

[@paulotoole4634]

Bending 3 for me is impossible. Any tips for bending 3 hole?

[@theloganbachman07]

Hey Jonah, I’ve only been able to bend the 1 draw. When I try to replicate that on other draws (I’ve been working on 4) I can’t seem to get it. I’m using a cheap gift shop harmonica, could that be the case?

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Yeah, maybe. Check out this video ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaPKl3ZqhpmZba8 ) for some harp suggestions, even for very cheap ($25) you can get something that you won’t need to fight with as much.

[@denizkendirci]

Cavity of resonation.

[@johnniel8116]

I can bend it really well but only on bottom C

[@normanmundy2565]

Hi won’t download bending class .Thanks

[@FoamingAtTheMouth2]

Harmonica master physiognomy

[@Chillin_duck]

Help pls

[@qwmx]

Bad. My head feels woozy from trying too long 😭😂😭

[@bryanclark1058]

When people are trying to explain (get to the point)

[@charlessarles5447]

Your link doesn’t work, would you mind posting it in the comments please?

[@john-nx4xn]

Can't bend 4 to save my life

[@pauldzhugostran2450]

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[@giusepperesponte8077]

I can move my tongue into any one of a thousand different positions and it won’t bend, I’m physically incapable of whistling so maybe this is just not possible. Oddly enough the only note I can bend is 1D. Maybe I’ll just play chromatic harps.

[@HarmonicaRevolution]

Have you tried multiple harmonicas? Just a thought. Some are harder than others. When I was starting I had a Lee Oscar Harmonica that I couldn’t bend for the life of me, but I can bend on my special 20 and crossover. Also, if you’re bending on a really cheap Harmonica, you’re going to have a bad time. There’s also a process called gapping that will make bending easier, I don’t have a video on it but other teachers do, you can look that up. Another idea is if you play in a puckering style, try tongue blocking. And if you use tongue blocking, try puckering. I’ll be making a more in-depth video on tongue blocking soon. If you keep changing your approach, hopefully you’ll get it!

[@ehsantlb]

I could do that just 10 to 20% 🥲🥲