Hello and welcome to this week’s lesson where I will be showing you a clever way to learn how to play the 2 draw whole step bend in tune on any harmonica.
Click here to download lesson resources
Most people struggle with hitting the 2 draw whole step bend in tune. In fact there is a tendency for people to bend the note as far as it will go which is actually too deep.
It is really worthwhile working on making this note sound really in tune as it will sound a lot warmer and smoother than the typical 2 draw whole step bend honk.
There is an easy solution for this which is using a reference harmonica to hear what the note should actually sound like.
Reference harmonica
If you are trying to play the 2 draw whole step bend on the C harmonica you are aiming for an F note. So if you play this note on another harmonica that doesn’t require bending, you can hear what it should sound like.
I suggest that you play the 2 draw on a Bb harmonica to hear what the bend should sound like on the C harp.
Learn what the vibrations feel like
Not only do you learn what the note should sound like but your mouth learns what it feels like to vibrate at that pitch. This makes it much easier to play the bends – as if by magic!
Try this on all keys
You can do this trick with any key harmonica as long as you have enough other harmonicas as references. I highly recommend that you download my reference chart for the 2 draw whole step bend on all keys by clicking the button below.
Click here to download lesson resources
Good luck and thank you!
Good luck with your bends. If you have any questions just send me a wee email.
