Re: [Harp-L] talking techniques again

[Mojo Red <harplicks@xxxxxxxxx>]

Regarding the mastery of the 3 hole half-step bend, Smokey Joe wrote:

> Your brain needs to remember exactly what 'pressure' was needed (LAST time) to get this bend. And you need to be able to do it spot on with ANY keyed
>  diatonic BEFORE you actually have heard ANY notes from said diatonic.. Actually, this is true of all bends. So what's the answer?...muscle memory/practice.

I totally agree. Practice, muscle memory... and then more practice, muscle memory. 

Getting there for me required sitting at a keyboard and hitting the corresponding keyboard notes for one particular harp for 3 draw, 3', 3" and 3'" and playing them on the harp at the same time. Play it down, play it back up... over and over and over again until I could do it accurately without the help of the keyboard. Master it on one harp, move to the next. Practice, muscle memory... more practice. Same process works with the two available bends in the 2 hole. 

Then practice familiar songs that require use of those indivitual bends to cement it in as you will already know the note that's ~supposed~ to sound. 
St. Louis Blues in 2nd position is a great tune to use for the mastering bends as it requires starting the song with a half-step 3-hole bend, and you need to play the 3 half-step and 3 hole-step bends in succession as distinct tones, AND you must be able to move from a bend in the 2 hole directly to a bend in the 3 hole. 

Here's tab for how I play St. Louis Blues in 2nd (just the first part of the song)...tab: 3 = 3 draw, 3' = 3 draw half-step, 3" = 3 draw hole-step. 2+ = 2 blow

3' 3 4 3 2
1 2+ 2 3" 2 3' 3" 2 
(1 1 2+ 2 ~ 1 2+ 2)
3' 3 4 3 2
1 2+ 2 3" 2 3' 3" 2 
(1 1 2+ 2)
2" 2' 3" 2' 1 ~ 1' 1+
3' 3' 3" 2
(1 1 2+ 2 ~ 1 2+ 2)


Works for me anyhoo.

Harpin' in Colroado,
--Ken M.