@Nancy Hart, that’s a lot to chew on Nancy. Don’t get tired of any one thing, Stop, try some else. If you don’t like something, stop, do something else. We’ll talk about.. Warm a harp up before you play with your warm hands or by slow blowing your warm breath into it. You want it room temp or warmer., Rinse your mouth before blowing if you’ve had food in your mouth. I’m being repetitive but its important,
I know. @Nancy Hart Does your harp blow easy? Can you hear the different pitch as you go up and down. You are not reading music, you're going to hear the notes, Mar y had a lit tle lamb, lit the lamb, lit the lamb, mar y had a lit tle lamb, its fleece was white as snow. and so on... Each syllable gets a note. In and out on the harmonica until it sounds pretty good to you. Pucker and blow, try blowing without puckering, play with it until you get the sound you want. What will it do? How can you get it to sound so you like it. Tap your tongue at the top of your teeth as you. That will quickly break up the sound. Tut tut tut, tut tut tut as you blow four to seven. Ta ta ta with your tongue as you draw, coming back down the harp from seven to four holes. Just a little practice. Talk to me when you want to. Tell me you like the harmonica or you hate it. When you get the time, practice.
It is headed this way from Atlanta. Should get it today. I will like it. I've never "tut, tut, tutted" before. Just tried it on the antique harmonica. It actually works. Need something different for a draw. By the way, with all this tinkering around, I can almost whistle now.
@Nancy Hart, Great! Love it. Find s omething that works for you and feels good. I've never helped anyone learn before, do your own thing. What I've told you is what I wish I had known really early on. You get tired of my mickey mouse stuff, do your own thing. There is worlds of info on the internet. Sorry, I thought you might have gotten your harp yesterday evening. You've got enough to practice on when you get your harp. Use online notations to play something if you want to. Learning is trial and error. I think my way will get you started, help you learn faster. You've got a lot to remember but don't worry about it. As you move forward you'll see some of what I've said on the internet as you go along. Easy does it.
My physical condition is deteriorating more rapidly now. There's little I can do about the physical side but do nothing but play a harmonica and to keep on keeping on as long as I can. To assist my mental health I'm writing another short story. Oh, it's nothing publishable, nothing I do is that good, but it keeps my mind off the physical side of things, makes me think and helps keep a clear head, I think. I haven't finished the story which is only about fourteen or fifteen hundred words so far. But I have self critiqued what I have written so far. This is the rough draft, written almost straight through. I have used the word "and" too many times even for a first draft. Six or seven paragraphs need shorter and more varied sentences. I did not introduce the conflict earlier enough. That where I am now. Stuck, as it were, not sure which way to go. I need to tighten my writing so the conflict appears earlier than I now have it, or at least leave a foreshadowing, for a story without conflict is no story at all. Let's say I'm working on it, making me think, whether the thinking is good or useful is something is not guaranteed.
Bill, don't' forget the romance. If it's a western, make sure the cowboy gets to kiss the girl in the end.
Bill, the mailman came and went. No harmonica. Should've ordered through Amazon. Please keep the music store open at least one more day.
I'm intrigued by this "bending" business. I don't know how to play a lick but I'm sitting here trying to bend notes on an antique harmonica, which is probably too old to bend. No success, by the way.
Bending is lowering a note as in from a D to a Db. This is hard for everyone who is a beginning player. Bend your tongue back and down, tilt the harmonica little forward and blow and say if you can, e-o. I tried and tried then day I was doing it naturall and really didn’t notice A guy named Gussow has a bunch of free video teaching everything blues. He’s good. You can look him up on the internet. You might enter his name and enter bends. I like him. He’s got a long history with the harmonica. He is a an Associate Professor at the University of Georgia. He teaches. Black Studies. Others on the internet teachBlues and bending? Bending is used in country, rock, Folk and Gospel. I don’t play much blues because of my short windedness. Hole 6 to 2 and back 2 to 6 bending the hole 5, 4, 3, and 2 is the blues chord. There are two or three useful chords. Most are draw chords, draw notes. I’m happy you are reaching out.
You want to change the sound a bit, change the shape of your mouth as you blow or play. The further you stick a harmonica in your mouth, the better it will sound.You'll find the sweet spot where it feels best for your playing. I've gota pillowcase full of ideas and info but afraid I'll empty it before you ever get a harmonica.
Thanks Bill. I pulled up a Gussow video THIS ONE (link). He discusses 3 methods. I finally got just a tiny bit of bend. The way I figure, if I can't ever learn to do this I might as well give up now. Not giving up. ps. It sounds like a sick cat howling.