The Only Thing That Makes Harmonica Notes Bend

Рет қаралды 48,984

5 жыл бұрын

Richard Sleigh ( hotrodharmonicas.com ) makes it obvious that there is only one thing going on inside your mouth that causes harmonica notes to bend. He uses a slide whistle contraption connected to a key of F harmonica that shows what is going on inside your mouth that makes the reeds vibrate at different frequencies. If you teach harmonica, you can use this video to help you explain to your students what makes the notes bend...
Here is another video by Richard that goes into detail on note bending techniques-
How to Bend Notes on the Harmonica:
• How to bend notes on t...
Also - a free course on the fundamentals of playing the diatonic (blues) harmonica:
www.ultimateharmonica.com/p/t...
And a very in depth course on bending notes on the blues harmonica:
www.ultimateharmonica.com/p/t...
Plus articles and more resources at my website:
hotrodharmonicas.com

Пікірлер: 149

@giusepperesponte8077 3 жыл бұрын

If I would pay anyone for a harp lesson it would be this guy, he has a true understanding of the instrument, and how wind instruments and reeds work in general, as someone who likes to learn exactly what is happening, this guy is great.

@tennisbum3686 Жыл бұрын

I totally agree with you

@johndouma3407 3 жыл бұрын

I really appreciate the fact that you built these tools to demonstrate this. Thank you very much.

@ninocrudele 10 ай бұрын

best explanation ever in all KZfaq, thank you!!!! subscribed!!!!

@bvandijk Жыл бұрын

As a scientist I truly appreciate this: finally somebody that does not just says something but demonstrates it with experimentation! Very cool.

@terryford2195 3 жыл бұрын

i am an amature chromatic this is the best explanation on bending i have heard i will save it cheers

@triphenderson2341 5 жыл бұрын

Richard provides clarity to one of the hardest things to explain to students for we harmonica instructors. This will be played tonight at both of my classes. Thanks Richard!!!

@AdamWestUS 2 жыл бұрын

Amen Henderson!

@dinosilone7613 Жыл бұрын

This is the best explanation of bending I’ve ever heard.

@mateopavolini 3 жыл бұрын

I JUST LOVE THIS MAN, STILL NOT ABLE TO BEND BUT THIS REALLY MOTIVATED ME, NOW I KNOW WHAT IM TRYING TO DO!

@tennisbum3686 Жыл бұрын

This is the most coherent and understandable explanation of learning to play this instrument. You have a new subscriber here, and thank you for your insightful explanation

@Harmonicacom 9 ай бұрын

Great vid! thanks Richard.👊🏼

@alfreddemuth6343 2 жыл бұрын

Male 82 just bought hohner c big river m/s I'm glad I found you it's my first harmonica

@medievalbox4395 3 ай бұрын

Pretty cool : )

@user-ix6of7ku7k 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! I am so glad to see this video after just beginning to learn how to play harmonica

@robertnester13 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic demonstration! Thank you!

@NiekEdeling 2 жыл бұрын

Sir Richard, I think you could explain to me everything I never understood in my entire life; incredibly clear!

@timc3773 2 жыл бұрын

Hands-down, THE best video on bending I've watched.

@tyrellmiller778 2 жыл бұрын

Breaking down the process of note bending in it's most rudimentary components. EXCELLENT

@garyn9704 Жыл бұрын

To me you've given the most understandable and helpful explanation of how to-thanks!

@fabriziotraballoni5460 3 жыл бұрын

thank you so much sir, the best explanation of ever, about harmonica bending notes

@stevebuckerfield3868 2 жыл бұрын

Excellent and clear explanation.

@therusfosterson238 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video Richard. Thanks for being clear and concise. I'm subscribing.

@Meddlmoe Жыл бұрын

I also experimented with 3d printing extensions that unfortunately change the volume before the reeds. You need to do two things: 1. Control the volume (as you said) 2. Create a narrow bottleneck in the back of your mouth that decouples your lung volume from your mouth volume. With a tube between your mouth and the harmonica at the right length, you can also create this bottleneck with your lipps, by creating a trumpet playing like lip-slot.

@kenzieprice6745 9 ай бұрын

Did you share any of your project on the web anywhere?

@BlackuLaLa 3 жыл бұрын

I love this! I still can't bend, but this is very helpful. Thank you!

@user-xt7ir2tk9c Жыл бұрын

Brilliant explanation. Thank you very much.

@chaz6645 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I’m currently working on this.

@krishnanRan 9 ай бұрын

Excellent but simple to understand explanation for a difficult to achieve part of harmonica playing. Will start trying to bend notes with this concept in mind. Thank you.

@qualudia1 2 жыл бұрын

You are absolutely right on! I’ve have been trying to bend the lower scale#2 on a diatonic C harmonica and your right it’s a factor of mouth/tongue relationship. I haven’t found the right sound but once I do it’s a matter of doing exercises to strengthen that mouth memory. Basically doing exercises to make playing more automatic.. Great piece, I look forward to your channel.

@hamishwatson2864 Жыл бұрын

Excellent explanation, thank you so much for sharing!

@rapidwav5669 5 жыл бұрын

Brilliant explanation

@johnmusicman7056 11 ай бұрын

Awesome thank you Richard!

@MultiXarlie 3 жыл бұрын

thank you so much for sharing your knowledge sir. And greetings from Brazil!

@kulcharshock421 6 ай бұрын

That “Slide Tube” blew me away !!! What a teaching device…!!!…simplifying it… and now all you have to do is make your mouth do it….it’s not voodoo..!!…you don’t have to to go to the crossroads lol…that’s a relief !!!

@TheBigMclargehuge 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, this video demystifies the whole concept to me.

@LeRequinBlue Жыл бұрын

Hi Richard, i appreciate the way you have explained.

@ernestturchi3954 8 ай бұрын

Was very interesting and helpful, thanks

@rickpalmer3340 2 жыл бұрын

Hello Richard, an excellent video on the theory behind bending. As a beginner I’m working on it. I get the bends 1, 2 and 1 on holes 1, 2 and 6 respectively, but struggle to get anything on hole 3. I’ll keep trying, in the meantime please do continue to make the videos. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.

@BrendanPowerMusic 2 жыл бұрын

Cool demo Richard!

@michaelc.6927 Жыл бұрын

Very informative! I am recently toying with the idea of playing. This video sheds light on some helpful knowledge. Thanks !

@LanceNelsonPorter 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this!

@Audiomonkscollective 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the excellent tutorial. Love you Sir

@pablocuello52 2 жыл бұрын

Gracias por your Time and Ideas Greetings desde Chile

@edwardjamesbutler 5 ай бұрын

You sir are a musical scientist. Salute!

@rodneyange1046 6 ай бұрын

That was educational. Thank you

@MichaelTseCK 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I got my first bend after seeing your video!

@arcidiavolo Жыл бұрын

just great concepts

@tommyharmonika Жыл бұрын

This is by far the best and clearest explanation of bending physics. Awesome gadgets too!

@richardroysleigh Жыл бұрын

Thanks! It was an interesting process to come up with this gizmo... I'm glad you found it useful... If you want to do a deeper dive into bending, check out the Bending Course - www.ultimateharmonica.com/p/the-bending-course

@tomconwell9575 2 ай бұрын

Fascinating. Charming. Brilliant.

@tenochramos4775 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much!!!! Congrat for your videos!! Saludos desde Mexico City.

@God_my_Savior Жыл бұрын

This is incredible 😮

@guitzanin 2 жыл бұрын

Fantastic! Thanks!

@robinmuller2881 8 ай бұрын

Thank you so much, never befor did i understand this concept!

@uripmargono946 8 ай бұрын

Is that only it? I've been practising to bend the notes and no progress before I found this video for months. And today, it's getting better and easier to make it. Thank, good man. What a great lesson you give!

@stevepethel6843 3 жыл бұрын

Wow that is GENIUS contraption of the slide whistle harmonica demonstration.You really think deeply about harmonicas and out of the NORM..I love these ideas Richard great video.God continued Blessings on your life and music ministry...

@lizryan5848 3 жыл бұрын

And he thinks deeply about a lot of things and brings it all together so beautifully! Subscribing to his newsletter is a MUST!

@Erreerreti 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, very useful explanation

@richardroysleigh 3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

@sachinkapatkar 11 ай бұрын

Thanks a lot for sharing u knowledge related to this great intrument like harmonica.

@dippingbird Жыл бұрын

Wow, best harp lesson ever!

@RuckusOutfitters Жыл бұрын

It’s all based off of Bernoulli’s principle. Any restriction in the air flow, for example shrinking the size of the resonate cavity (your mouth), increases the “velocity” of the air. The pitch is directly related to the velocity of the air. By opening your mouth cavity your’e slowing the velocity of the air thus, lowering the pitch, when you close your mouth cavity you increase the velocity of the air, increasing the pitch. This guy explains it pretty well. We teach this same concept in playing duck and goose calls 😊

@samuelteh9421 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you sir for your great efforts to demonstrate d method for bending.

@barryl9743 5 жыл бұрын

That was great, made alot of sense, thanks!

@richardroysleigh 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for letting me know!

@starckwest6358 Жыл бұрын

Excellent

@TheRemyRomano 5 ай бұрын

That’s the first explanation I have heard that makes sense

@spinnerone105 5 жыл бұрын

Excellent! Really helped!!

@richardroysleigh 5 жыл бұрын

Great - I am glad you found it useful...

@MysteryMagee 20 күн бұрын

Excellent explanation and props the biggest thing that helped me was the kaaaa sound thank you

@johnrogers2253 2 жыл бұрын

That was brilliant, I understand so in the morning I'm going to get it at last...

@mickramsay5002 Жыл бұрын

Hey Richard, thank you for this interesting insight. I‘m gone give a try. I hope it will be the key to a full scale. Greetings from Hamburg/Germany

@howardbent5437 3 жыл бұрын

I wish I could like this video 5 times

@saltwatersalmon798 2 жыл бұрын

This guy's a legend

@JB-rw9xt Жыл бұрын

This is the place where science and harmonica meet.

@MrSpanky2001 11 ай бұрын

That reed prop was super cool.

@jensvide777 Ай бұрын

The K technique made it click for me. Thanks!

@garfieldnate Жыл бұрын

Wonderful explanation! As someone who whistles a lot, this makes good intuitive sense. Essentially the reed is your lips, and you can change the pitch with your tongue just the same (though the reed is less-flexibly tuned to a single note). Follow-up questions: how do the different types of bends work, then, if they all operate on the same principle? Also, I thought the harmonica was constructed so that the draw and blow reeds would be activated on draw and blow. Physicallyl, how is the air making it to the opposite reed when you bend? How are the air chambers connected?

@seannakasone4316 3 жыл бұрын

that plunger really proved the point, great job. but the question i still have is, does changing the size of the mouth cause the opposite reed to vibrate?

@therealdoctorstrings 3 жыл бұрын

This is a very useful tutorial! I subbed to your channel! Look forward to learning more from you! Greetings from India- Ranjani

@richardroysleigh 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome! Thank you!

@justinmeurer949 Жыл бұрын

Dang I wish I could have all of the KZfaq creators explain this so well

@rapidwav5669 4 жыл бұрын

Brilliant

@thewiz8895422 2 жыл бұрын

I understand that some use the back of the throat to create bends of which I cannot do. While lip pursing, I use the tip of my tongue to create draw bends on the low draw notes and the same for when I am blow bending on the high register . While tongue blocking, I use the same technique yet use the side of my tongue for draw bends , yet for high register blow bends I do go back to lip pursing. Thing is, there is more than one way to bend notes. I have used a tuner to check my bends, as well as using my ears and have them quite dialed in. Great video though

@HoneyboyDes 3 жыл бұрын

No one else has ever put it that way before...

@Harpdog.TonyWatson 5 жыл бұрын

I had already learned what is covered in this video before viewing it, but still want to say that this video does a great job of making these concepts clear with good explanations, and clever useful demos. Good contribution to harmonica players.

@richardroysleigh 5 жыл бұрын

I've pondered this for many years and this is an attempt to make it as clear as I possibly can. Thanks for your kind words...

@juanmariavive Жыл бұрын

excelent !

@paulcundy4703 10 ай бұрын

Genius!

@DanDoucet101 20 күн бұрын

Great explanation and really appreciated the info about the effect going TOO far using the slide whistle example! Not I’ll stop trying to push my tongue out the back of my throat 😂

@VincePicton 4 жыл бұрын

Nicely explained, thanks. Any idea why one hole wouldn't bend? Tried gapping but hole 3 on a Honer in A just won't go.

@catoninetails789 10 ай бұрын

Excellent video! I have a couple of questions. 1. When you bend a note, let's say a draw bend, why does the other reed (in this case, the blow reed) also vibrate? 2. If you play a clean draw or blow note without bending, does the other reed vibrate as well or does this happen only when you bend? 3. On low notes (e.g. +1, -1, +2, -2 on an A harmonica), I feel like I do something different to make them sound strong compared to higher notes. I suspect that what I do is I make them bend just a tiny bit. So, anyway, the question is - when you play a low notes such as these, do both reeds vibrate or only one reed?

@terrorbirds9835 8 ай бұрын

This guy should be named Richard Slay 🤘✨

@Jonathan-L Жыл бұрын

The thing that bends note is the change in velocity of air flow, which is controlled by the player.

@skiddrowe9104 Жыл бұрын

i TOTALLY AGREE WITH THE GENTLEMAN WHO WROTE HIS COMENTS IN THE SPACE BELOW. HE IS ABSOLUTELY "ON TARGET" WITH HIS OBSERVATION AND CHOICE OF THE TEACHER HE'D PAY FOR HARP LESSONS!!!!!!! I'D ALSO PAY MONEY FOR HIS TEACHING ME THE HARMONICA!!!!

@FilipPandrc 2 жыл бұрын

ok that giant reed got me 😂😂

@jkyoft78 2 жыл бұрын

Interesting. So both reeds are playing on a blow and draw? What little bend I can achieve sounds like I am making a vowel sound, like talk thru the harp, and not really just dropping the pitch.

@z1522 4 жыл бұрын

This seems simple, yet I don't think it is nearly this simple; for one thing, the blow and draw reeds in each chamber affect whether a bend is even feasible. This changes relative to which key harp is used, and the same pitch note on one harp may be an easy draw bend, the exact same note on a different key, still draw, may be trickier. I feel it is a complex interaction of yes, the mouth acoustics, but also the constriction/"contortion" of the air at the area of the mouth just behind the harmonica that makes for a pressure change. Players like Sonny Boy Williamson made the same bent note sound shallow and tinny, or deep and resonant, depending on constricting or opening the mouth and throat - which by the slide whistle analogy should have forced a pitch change as the mouth acoustics were opened or closed.

@earthworm7346 7 күн бұрын

Sleigh Queeen!!! 💅🙌

@stevenfairless4931 Ай бұрын

OK .. i had to pause the video and laugh awhile when that giant reed suddenly appeared ... now I'm configuring a giant harmonica and realized you need giant slide whistle at each hole to bend notes ... and I'm late for this party, being 5years ago 😁

@vladimirhonorato6237 2 жыл бұрын

maravilha.

@frankofdk Жыл бұрын

Great demonstration Richard. But I think you got a detail wrong. I believe that you are cancelling a note, when you bend or play overblow (or use slidewhistle) . I'm thinking on a helmholtz resonator or a muffer on a car's exhaust system.

@jullev6709 3 ай бұрын

Why I bend changing the angualation of airflow and the size of the holes, not increasing or decreasing mouhchamber ?

@michaelkral Жыл бұрын

Would it be possible to make a harmonica with reeds that can bend all notes like a trombone?

@selfactualizer2099 2 жыл бұрын

bought a harmonica last night, watche4d tons of videos but couldnt bend, this is the video i was looikiing for, i was wanting to know *how* the bend is accomplished (in terms of physics) the flute example helped anyways, I did it. i did A bend, the next morning after buying first harmonica, i cant do it again and im getting frustrateD (but staying relaxed) but I just wanted to say pffft hahaha i knew i could do it immediately if i try hard enough B)

@kenzieprice6745 20 күн бұрын

Hey Richard. Do you think this concept still works and applies to a completely isolated reed? (Only one reed in one channel)

@SandorFule 3 жыл бұрын

Damn! I understood right now, how bending works. Thank you! I thought, bending is caused by the air speed change. Stupid me. :) Thanks again!

@just_ryan_no_b 2 жыл бұрын

took me a whole minute to notice the giant harmonica behind him

@petenewman4742 5 жыл бұрын

I'm curious about bending and tongue blocking, how do you manage to keep the tongue on the face harmonica while using the tongue to change the size of the inside of your mouth?

@richardroysleigh 5 жыл бұрын

I have another video that answers this question and gets into note bending techniques. Here is the link: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/d9uRh5dj2bbFnYU.html The basic answer is that the tongue is a fantastically flexible muscle that can be expanded, contracted, hollowed out, raised to the roof of your mouth or packed down low to the floor of your mouth all while keeping the front of your tongue on the face of the harmonica. You will have to experiment to prove this to yourself, but once you get it, it blows your mind. I spent many years believing that bending notes while tongue blocking was impossible. Then I met Magic Dick and Pierre Beauregard and we talked about this. They proved to me that not only was tongue block bending possible, but could be raised to a high art. As soon as I saw them do it and then tried it myself and suddenly I could do it. So - step one - believe it is possible. Step two - keep telling your tongue to move this way and that, try everything you can till it works for you... Go for it!