@Nancy Hart y Great! you'll learn. Everyone is curious about bends. They sound good when played well and in the right place, but first goal is to play a reconizable tune. It's fun to fool around on the low end of a harmonica, blowing and drawing different notes. Some good sound there. Don't blow or draw too hard. Practice. The idea is to make music. One day it will all come to gather. If you were trying to play with a band or a group, and were in tune with them, anything you did would sound good. I hope you get yours today.
@Nancy Hart There are some good women players online. I've listened to these two extensively. Check out Annie Raines and a Brazian gal, Indiara Sfair. And for a little rhythm, Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee.
Last night I got the masking tape out and taped over all holes except 4. After tinkering around for 2 hours I can now bend 4 so much it cries out for mercy. Nothing on 2 or 3 (6 is broken). Now, I find out it's a little different for each hole. It's probably different on each harmonica too, so I will quit tinkering with this antique. And wait. For the mailman.
@Nancy Hart Sooner or later you will encounter the Circle of Fifths or Circle of 5ths. When you do look it over. It may have have some interesting info if you come to understand it. You'll bump into some music theory online once in a while. I always read it and found it interesting. Lots online that may help you satisfy your yearing to play. Maybe not. I'm just talkiing out loud now and playin, Ain't Going to study War No More. Nothing important, nothing important, merely yaking, and playing Swanny River and Ain't Going To Study War No More. Old stuff like me.
Love it. Look at this stuff sometime. how to learn to play a harmonica through your diaphragm https://www.instructables.com/How-To-Play-The-Harmonica/ Chords https://www.themusicstand.ca/blogs/htp-harmonica/chords What notes will bend to: imgres
FyI: Spending time with my harmonica today. Playing Kenny Rogers, the Gambler, over and over, and now, Will The Circle Be Un Broken. Playing the harp raises my blood oxygen up to its maximum, puts more oxygen in my blood stream. Going to take it a little easy today because its Friday, TGIF day. I'll be in and out and open to conversation, but may be a little lazy today. Maybe not.
I'm finding a few contradictions between some of these instructors. Some say relax and blow/draw easy, gently, even with bends. But Gussow says in order to bend a note you have to pull on it with some force. This last is the only way I could get it to work. Meanwhile I'm practicing clean hitting the notes on the antique, assuming the spacing of the holes is the same on every 10 hole harmonica. Maybe that's a bad assumption.
I haven't played harmonica for years. I had to quit anything that required blowing because of my ears. My father was a master harmonica player. I don't even play my guitars regularly. Shameful but I don't feel motivated anymore. I think harmonica is like so many other instruments in that the techniques possible are endless. Has either of you played the Orange Blossom Special? If I remember it requires some forceful long drag inhales to get the train sound.
@Nancy Hart Fool around with the harp all you want but for the first few hours of play you are breaking it in, No hard play (two hours) then follow his advise. The old harp may be useful to try out things first. Keep it around. I keep one that is hard to play, so that when I play my favorite harp it will seem easier. Don't get too carried away with bends until it is broken in. Don't play a cold harp. Thats generally not a problem in summer time. I have a desk lamp I sit a harp on in the winter time when it is cool in the house, that I warm them up a bit. It is not necessary just habit but when they are cold, cup them in your hands and blw warm airinto them for a minute. Again, blow a harp with clean mouth. I'm repeating myself but I'd be ashamed to tell you how many harmonicas I have ruined or thrown away because I was ignorant of these simple tips just mentioned. I know you're smarter than that but sometime we forget. So don't get angry with me for being too repetitive. Just think he's an old man and forgetful. Any way I can't teach you anything, just offer a few tips. The internet will be your source of learning. I'm here to listen to your thoughts on something and if possible offer a tip or point you in another direction, checking out , How to cup your hands when playing.
Yeah, I've tried to play it and can but don't sound as good as most. There is a old song I play that seems similar, Under the Double Eagle, a guitar song. I'm not good but pretty good. I can hold out till the good player gets here. I play for pleasure, never played with a band or anybody and importantly, playing helps keep my blood oxygen where I need it most of the time. I'm not a musician and no longer whistle Dixie. How is your world turning. Everything okay at your house? Thanks for your comment. Cheers.
Speaking of guitars.... Isolating single notes on this harmonica is very similar to the problem I had with a guitar. Isolating single strings with your fingertips without touching adjacent ones. I was never really able to solve that problem consistently, and finally quit after a few months mostly because of it. That and the fact that I had to wear calluses on my finger tips to stop the pain, and keep them, so no taking long breaks. I did find out recently that different guitars can have wider spacings of the strings.
All guitar players have hard calloused finger tips. I have an old guitar but give up on playing for two reasons. I didn’t want those hard tips and I knew if I learned to play a little the best I’d ever be is mediocre. when I picked up a harp I thought it a necessity.I’m glad I did. Plus now I have a finger bent out of shape and can’t control it. It wouldn’t go on the string I wanted it to.
The guitar I have now my son was going to donate it to Goodwill. I asked him to give it to me. I’m waiting to find someone, maybe a kid, to give it too.