Tomlin Harmonica Lessons

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8 tips for how to bend on harmonica

Today’s harmonica lesson looks at how to bend for complete beginners or people who are struggling with this technique. I am using a harmonica in C.

1) Tilt Bend

Literally what it sounds like. You play the 4 hole draw and maintain it while tilting the harmonica up.

2) eee-ooo

Make the sound ‘eee’ when you are playing a normal note and slowly transition to ‘ooo’ to initiate the bend.

3) Strong muscular tongue

You do not want your tongue to be flapping around in your mouth. It needs to be strong and muscular.

4) Don’t pull too far back

If you keep pulling your tongue too far back then you might hit the bend and slide off of it. Slow down and listen to what you are playing. If you hear a bend you should stop moving rather than continuing to pull back.

5) Keep the harmonica tipped up

Whenever you are playing harmonica, not just when bending, it is good to have it slightly tilted up. This means that your top lip will be covering quite a lot of the top cover plate and your bottom lip will be covering a little of the bottom cover plate.

6) Don’t play harder

Bending on the 4 hole is not a feat of strength. You should be able to bend with the same amount of air as normal.

7) Don’t drop your jaw

Although you are using vocalisations you want to make sure that your jaw does not move, only your tongue.

8) Keep tongue facing forward

Keep the tip of your tongue pointing forwards.

Thanks for taking the time to check this out. Don’t forget to share it!

12 Easy 12 Bar Blues Course

If you are a relative beginner to harmonica and want some learning some key blues techniques such as chugging, bending, warbles and other things then you will want to check out my 12 Easy 12 Bar Blues Course.

The course lasts 12 weeks and each week you will learn a new 12 Bar Blues Tune introducing new techniques and styles.

Click here to find out more.

Comments

  1. Mayorofville says

    Thank you Tomlin for your valuable mentoring in our lesson today, and thanks so much for your patience, you are great!! BTW, I actually learned quite a bit in that half hour session!

  3. Pascal says

    Thanks Jan for that wonderful lesson. I’m 68 years old retired. Struggling to get that bend. Your video lesson tips was just great. God bless you.

  5. Mamabike says

    Thanks Tomlin.
    I have been studying bends via every possible person I can access and your lesson here was brilliantly explained….I think I’m actually getting there!
    Love your work

  7. Robert Nichols says

    Hi Tomlin. Even though I have been bending for some time I round this lesson to be the best overview of the technique that I think I have ever seen. It also served to remind me of what I need to be doing to maintain good bends and to not develop bad habits (like dropping my jaw). Just one minor nit pick and that is at about 2:30 into the lesson you were talking about tilting the harmonica and I believe you mis-spoke about which lip should be covering a lot and which should be covering a little of the cover plate. You did state it correctly in the written narrative and your demonstration conveyed the right idea, however.
    I also want to tell you that your site and your lessons are without a doubt the best on-line resource I have found in the last six years of learning blues harmonica. Your lessons are clear, concise and well structured. And I love that you include actual musical notation along with the tabs. Keep up the great work!

  10. tomlinleckie says

    Hi Robert – thanks for your kind words and really useful feedback. Apologies for getting things the wrong way round 🙂

  11. Roy Blythe says

    Hi Tom. I very much enjoy your teaching style, very clear and simple to understand. One question: I have just purchased (3 weeks ago) a Lee Oskar G diatonic harp and simply cannot get a clean 3 draw, it always bends. Is it a known issue or is it just me? Thx. Roy Blythe.

  18. Max says

    HI
    Great lesson ,the only problem I have is for example “GEORGIA ON MY MIND” where there are1/4, 1/2 and full bends. Is that the length of time they are held or the depth that you go into the bend.
    Max the novice

  20. Max says

    When you play a bent note in a tune ,do you play the note then bend it or do you play the note already bent ?.
    regards max

  21. tomlinleckie says

    Hi Max, It depends on how it is supposed to be played. Sometimes you need to hit them straight on and other times you need to bend into them. Cheers, Tomlin

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