Totally agree! Reminds me of when I taught myself to whistle loudly with my fingers. Weeks and weeks and weeks of failure. But I eventually got it. I guess that's what keeps me going.
Man, you're my hero. My mom gave me a harmonica for my birthday when I was like 14 or so. Since then I've tried to bend. That's more then 10 years ago, I learned playing piano, guitar, bass and mandolin during that time but didn't manage to do that f*ing bend on my harmonica - until I watched your video yesterday. Turns out: I held that thing wrong for 10 years - tip 5 was the missing hint for me. You're the only one I've seen who actually shows that. Plus the eee-ooo and the last tip helped a lot. Thanks again 1000 times!
@@TomlinHarmonica I still strugling with this bending technics.. OMG, so hard for me.. I use my only cheap china's harp.. Do you think I use the wrong harp? And should I pick the good one?
@@andrestp from my experience from bending you probably should invest a couple more dollars for a good beginners harp that is easy to play and to bend with like a hohner special 20
@@andrestp cheap harps are not a good way to start learning harmonicas. They usually have a really bad tone, and most of them are really leaky so are significantly harder to play than decent harmonicas. Bending would almost be impossible on those harps. Anyone would recommend a semi-decent harp over a cheap one.
This is crazy. I have been playing harmonica for about a week (total playing time maybe 1-2 hours), and have been focusing on bends because I know how hard it can be, and I never understood how it's done. Within 10 minutes of trying this stuff I had fairly consistently bent holes 1 through 6. !!!! Thank you Tomlin!
I’ve learned so so much from this lad in such a short time literally only just stumbled upon him today and after only two hours of practice I’ve learned more from him than I’ve learned in months paying rubbish teachers . Thanks
I'm at the very beginning of harmonica playing. I have discovered something amazing that must be shared with those who are struggling to get a clean note. I have a Hohner Rocket C. The top plate has a slight valley, with the lettering ROCKET in the bottom and a curved lip on the forward edge. *PUT YOUR TOP LIP DIRECTLY ON THE LETTERING!* The up-curved leading edge will assist your positioning and the holes will be right where you want them. This should have been obvious. But it wasn't..... Tomlin's tip #5 at 6:40 was my essential clue. *THANK YOU TOMLIN!*
I've been playing the harp for a few months now on and off, happy with my progression, could not bend for the life of me. I installed one of those tuner apps on my phone that detect which harp note is being played and had it next to my laptop while watching this video, never once getting the 4 draw bend button to light up on the app. I practiced, rewatched this video, paused, repeat process for a good 45 minutes and all of a sudden with the culmination of all the tips I got the -4'! I was so happy I nearly cheered out loud! Now I'm just working on getting it every single time and getting it into the muscle memory, like learning how to play single clean notes. Thanks so much Tomlin!
I paused when instructed each time until I achieved an audible difference in tonality. I worked each section thoroughly and changed from slight bend to a clear and deep sustain. While trying to develop proper technique, I developed incorrect techniques simultaneously. Then upon resuming video each time, he explains precisely how to correct such errors as if he was present. By the end of this video (30 mins for me) I was bending smoothly and deeply, half or full! Complete NOOB here, credit due to this MASTERFUL TEACHER! Just started yesterday on your beginner 12 bar blues. Thank You. HOHNER BIG RIVER HARP "C"
Tomlin Leckie, how much does the difficulty increase when one goes to steel reeds? I have the basic 5-harp Hohner Roadhouse Blues pack (essentially Chinese crap), and my thought is to replace those with quality harps as I blow them out. But my need right now is for an F harp, as I play ukulele and 75% of the songs I play are in the key of C. Rather than buying another piece of junk, I thought I would get a Seydel, but it will have steel reeds.
It took me a lot of trying, i found the first hole was easiest to bend and just couldnt get the 4th hole to do so. Just keep practicing, and it will come to you
@@parealbuffalo5790 You get a perfect bend when the sound of the airflow between your tongue and your palate (the roof of your mouth) matches the pitch of the bent note. Once you get that, bending becomes easy. I made a video about this, maybe it can help you.
Holy crap! I’ve been noodling on the harmonica for about 15 years (very casually), but never been able to bend notes. I didn’t even make it to the end of this video before I actually managed to bend notes! Seriously - I started learning literally 12 minuters ago and now I bend without much fail! Superb, my man!
Great tutorial. What I recently discovered is that no matter which harmonica key and which hole you're playing, you get a perfect bend when the sound of the airflow between your tongue and your palate matches the pitch of the bent note. Once you get that, bending becomes a natural thing to do. Keep up the good work!
Dude, I have being trying this for weeks based on different ways on internet. None of them works for me. But with your methods, I get it in 5 minutes!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!
For anyone who may stumble onto this, I am new to the harmonica, and not real qualified to be giving advice, but here's what gave me my first bend, just last night-- while drawing the note in, "swallow" it ! That seems to create the proper configuration of the tongue, etc. It's a little hard to make yourself do the swallowing move while drawing the note in, but as soon as you start it, boom-- there's that bend!
That moment you make a Bend for the first time. :D Feels REALLY GOOOOOOOOOD. Stop video and repeat. Because from now on i'm better than when i first started it :P.... And repeat…..
Hello Mr. Leckie. I'm a retired research scientist trying to help overcome the kind of frustrations I experienced due to the incomplete comprehension of bending in all harmonica instruction I've seen. Yours is the best bending instruction I've seen (I've seen quite a bit), but its partial and doesn't penetrate to the essential concepts as well as it would if it had a little more science foundation. Therefore, it is less helpful than it could be, by a fair amount. The physics and mathematics of bending have been known for about 150 years, and the principles are in very common use (for example, even by motorcycle engineers, from whom I recently learned it). Judging from current harmonica instruction, harmonica players have never encountered this knowledge (to my amazement). The basis for bending is not exceedingly simple, and it's easy for me to explain why its been hard to teach and learn, but it can be made pretty simple to teach and learn once you know all the principles and figured out the shortcuts (no math, suitable for children, etc). You are close to this goal in your instruction, but not there, and are missing a few critical elements. In my experience, with mild tolerance for science so that a harmonica player can understand what they are doing and why, all draw bends in all holes of diatonic harmonicas can be learned in less than an hour immediately after learning to play single notes. Only slight pitch refinement then remains. Blow bends use the same principles but are considerably harder to perfect, for reasons also easy for me to explain. The same principles used for bending can also be used to expand the kinds of harmonica sounds you can make in other interesting ways. I can make my own video of instructions, and might if I have to, but you are a person of eminence in the field and your help would ease the process of helping develop instruction. Let me know if you are interested in helping out. If not, I will probably proceed with the making and posting of my own clumsy video where i will feel like a science dork and have to endure a lot of 'artistic" rejection. Sorry for sounding arrogant, but I play guitar and piano also, and instruction for guitar and piano is so much better because you can play all the notes immediately. Maybe for that reason i have come feel much of the beginner harmonica instruction I've seen spends far too much time too far away from musical competence and is needlessly frustrating and unattractive. As I said at the beginning, I just want to help harmonica players out. I'm way too old and settled to be doing this to seek out fame or income.
I've been trying to do the bending so hard since so long and this is the first video that really really helped me. I could do my first bending... thanks a lot you are the best
Thank you Tomlin. I have owned a harp (albeit a cheap one) for most of my life. I currently own a Hohner Big River and a Hohner Super Chromonica, both in the key of C, however I just ordered a Special 20 to hopefully make my bending easier. I've never really committed to learning to play, but in the tinkering I have done in the past 40 years I have always struggled with getting a consistent, on key bend. I have have owned books & watched videos attempting to explain it till I'm ready to throw the harp into the ocean. This is the first time someone has walked me through the nuances, step by step, that made a meaningful difference. After just one viewing my bends are more solid and within a few minutes of practicing your tips there is a significant improvement. This just might be the breakthrough I needed to take my playing seriously.
Ok, so after getting frustrated and thinking everyone was bad teachers, including this guy, I realised i was doing mistake number 4. Make slow tongue adjustments, you don't pull it way back, it's only subtle. Thanks mate! Great video.
Wow, this is the only video that helped me pick up bending. The first tip to literally tilt your harmonica is perfect since it provided me with a reference tone. Thumbs up!
I really can't thank you enough for this. I was struggling with the whole step/whole and a half step bend, and your advice on not blowing too hard and mouth movements helped me nail it after so freaking long.
I’ve read book and websites for this, but couldn’t touch anything until I see your video. The key tip is at the 5:40 that helps me a lot. Thay you for teaching me that!
I started playing the harmonica back in february (got it as a birthday gift) and I have to admit, bending is HARD, but now, after a LOT of practice I can finally do whole step bends...so if you're struggling, just keep practicing!
I got it! Once I was able to get a tiny bit of a bend, it was just like you said in #4- slow controlled movements with a strong tongue to find the pitch. If I try to go too fast I lose it, but I've played enough wind instruments to know it's all just developing the muscle memory from here.
hey Tomlin, i am 71 years old and been playing harmonica badly for a decade, never could bend but always found your tips the most helpful of all the millions online and then yesterday, watching you and, on your recommendation, a bit of Gussow...BAM! i got the 2 draw bend. still takes work but i feel for the first time i'm on my way. at my age, gotta hurry!
I've played a straight tongue block method and do a lot of melodies but I think that's what was 'blocking' me from bending! After all these years and watching so many others try to teach a bending method, finally YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE that has made it so I can actually bend a note!! I bent the note first try with the tilt method! So easy! I can now bend a little with eeooo! I discovered I can't use the tongue block method and bend at all so thank you so much!! I'm gonna go play some blues!!!
I practiced for 2 weeks based off another video and I was getting pretty close but I was like, “ is this the right sound?” So using that tilt method I was able to hear the right tone, then I just went eee ooo and it clicked right away. The more you practice the more the explanation of the tonque movements make sense too
Thank you so much for helping us novices. I inherited my Dad's Hohner harmonica (he was 93) so quite an old one and loving getting to use it. Just working on the bends now :0)
Just i was frustrated that everyone can bend harmonica without me so i cant bend then youtube recommended me this video i just click and then i got this treasure from you just very very thanks
Tomlin, I'd like add tip number 9 (or number 0) = get a good professional harp. Many begginners start off with cheap ones, like the BluesBands and it is such a disservice to the player. I've struggled for 4 months to get one single good bend on those, until I finally decided to get me some Special 20s... Man, what a difference. What I couldn't do for months on those, I've learned pretty much on a week on the S20s. Though I am still perfecting my bends, I can hit all of the draws (even the 1 and 1/2 step on 3th hole). Just to show that a good instrument DOES make a huge difference on this case. Cheers from Brazil.
Man, i think i'm having the same problem here. When i'm bending on the fourth hole, i can't get the full bend, and mine is the Bluesband model haha BR assistindo vídeo aqui também, que coincidencia. abraço
Nerenahd Dhaneren eae cara... comprei uma meio no susto, sem presquisar antes... erro meu :( comprei uma hohner em C... queria saber se comprei uma decente
Luiz Felipe Alves Kkkk, comprei no susto foi boa. Olha, existem várias Hohner, muitas são horríveis, muitas são excelentes. Depende de qual vc comprou, se foi qualquer uma mais barata que a Special 20, com certeza é fraca. Agora, eu fiquei nas BluesBand baratas por uns 4 meses, e aprendi umas músicas, aprendi a isolar as notas etc. Pra isso, até q tá valendo. Se vc vai evoluindo e chega num ponto de começar a fazer bends, aí é hora de trocar por uma melhor. Ou se vc está sério sobre tocar gaita, vai logo pra uma Special 20 que vc vai evoluir muito mais rápido. Abs.
Thank you thank you thank you! The key tip for me was to tilt the harmonica slightly up. The tongue action is not as severe as I thought but by bringing it a little back and to the roof to create a narrower channel I can bend 4 🤠
Amazing teacher! Total n00b here (two weeks), already doing a half decent job on single notes, unable to bend; after 15min on this video I got a solid bend on 4-draw. Thank you so much!
Man I just bought a new harmonica yesterday after years!! I used to be able to when I was younger probably 15 years ago and I can’t bend for the life of me anymore!! It’s like it just completely left my brain 🧠 🏃 💨🥺
THANK YOU! this is my first day with harmonica and I nailed the single note method but watched 5 other videos on how to bend but finally after watching yours I got it! I play the tin whistle and ocarina but this is a whole different beast. Awesome tips.
I've had the harmonica for 3 days, and I'm getting bending from this video! It's so funny, I was about to make a comment saying you can hear the tone because you pass by it, expecting such a big note change to be produced by an exaggerated movement, but then he covered it! Lol, but that really is the biggest tip that helps. Play with the movement of your tongue, and listen carefully to the point in your mouth where it's closest to the bend tone, then practice starting with your tongue at the front of your mouth, and stopping at that point but really drawing in a lot of air still. You'll find it, good luck!
Count me as another beginner who has benefitted from your bending lesson! I can now draw bend on #4, getting a bend on 3 draw seems harder but will keep experimenting! Thank you for these lessons!
Wow thank You a lot Man. I felt like I want to finish with playing harmonica but you saved me! I saw tousends of videos about how to do it but after wathicng your it finally helped me! THANK YOU!
"Bend down" - so to play an F# I should bend on the G? Love your videos! You are helping me to achieve my retirement goal of learning to play harmonica!
Great! This is the only one that seems to have covered the tilt of the harmonica on tip 5! Not Gussow, not anyone of the other online instructions mentions the tile That slight tilt made a world of difference. Hot damn, I've been trying to figure this out all week.
Hi, great lesson. I'm beginner, I went through some other interesting lessons, but you give a tip here that really triggered something in my feeling: actually two tips: NOT GOING to far, and not pulling hard. Thanks to this, I felt something great. Actually I was sucking too strongly... and probably damaging the reeds. Thanks for these tips.
Been struggling with bending, worked through your tips. The first one told be what I was aiming for, tip 5 was a game changer. I can now bend, so grateful.
Literally your first tip helped me bend so much easier. I know covering the hole a bit had something to do with it but this was just such an obvious method that works so good. Gonna keep watching the rest but thank you so much.
Badass brother. And well done on your teaching instructions and explanations and direction. Stuck with your every word step by step and sounded perfect every time still so if someone can't listen to your direction and get it right away then maybe they just need to put down the harmonica lol well done.
✏ Get your FREE harmonica tab PDF and audio clips here 👉 foxly.link/OphkKM
I've learned some pretty technical things on guitar,bass and drums, but this is the most frustrating musical technique I've ever tried!! 😆
Agreed!!!😅😅
100% I’ve been trying to bend for so long now and just can’t get it
Joe Deverell-Smith Don’t give up!!! I got it and you will too!
Totally agree! Reminds me of when I taught myself to whistle loudly with my fingers. Weeks and weeks and weeks of failure. But I eventually got it. I guess that's what keeps me going.
Trying to incorporate bends in the blues scale.... my poor neighbors lol. It's like a chromatic squeaky toy. Over n over and over 😯
water fire earth air these four nations once lived in harmony then everything changed when the avatar learned the harmonica.
Actually I am imagining the draw bend as some kind of airbending and it helps controlling the air flow...
I need to harmonbend as well
Me too
That's mad, I got it pretty much straight away! Keep at it, I'm sure you'll get it soon!
The 'ee' 'oo' technique is what got it for me, as a guitarist I find it weird that the note bends down though!
Man, you're my hero. My mom gave me a harmonica for my birthday when I was like 14 or so. Since then I've tried to bend. That's more then 10 years ago, I learned playing piano, guitar, bass and mandolin during that time but didn't manage to do that f*ing bend on my harmonica - until I watched your video yesterday. Turns out: I held that thing wrong for 10 years - tip 5 was the missing hint for me. You're the only one I've seen who actually shows that. Plus the eee-ooo and the last tip helped a lot. Thanks again 1000 times!
That's fantastic, took too long but I am so glad you picked the harp again! :-)
Me too! Bending for the first time since i bought this years ago.
@@TomlinHarmonica I still strugling with this bending technics.. OMG, so hard for me..
I use my only cheap china's harp.. Do you think I use the wrong harp? And should I pick the good one?
@@andrestp from my experience from bending you probably should invest a couple more dollars for a good beginners harp that is easy to play and to bend with like a hohner special 20
@@andrestp cheap harps are not a good way to start learning harmonicas. They usually have a really bad tone, and most of them are really leaky so are significantly harder to play than decent harmonicas. Bending would almost be impossible on those harps. Anyone would recommend a semi-decent harp over a cheap one.
just incredible, hundres of videos that ended up being useless, but this video, this man, bro i fucking love you never gonna forget
This one lesson gave me my first 2 draw bend. 👍😎
This is crazy. I have been playing harmonica for about a week (total playing time maybe 1-2 hours), and have been focusing on bends because I know how hard it can be, and I never understood how it's done.
Within 10 minutes of trying this stuff I had fairly consistently bent holes 1 through 6.
!!!!
Thank you Tomlin!
I’ve learned so so much from this lad in such a short time literally only just stumbled upon him today and after only two hours of practice I’ve learned more from him than I’ve learned in months paying rubbish teachers . Thanks
I'm at the very beginning of harmonica playing. I have discovered something amazing that must be shared with those who are struggling to get a clean note.
I have a Hohner Rocket C. The top plate has a slight valley, with the lettering ROCKET in the bottom and a curved lip on the forward edge.
*PUT YOUR TOP LIP DIRECTLY ON THE LETTERING!* The up-curved leading edge will assist your positioning and the holes will be right where you want them.
This should have been obvious. But it wasn't.....
Tomlin's tip #5 at 6:40 was my essential clue. *THANK YOU TOMLIN!*
I've been playing the harp for a few months now on and off, happy with my progression, could not bend for the life of me. I installed one of those tuner apps on my phone that detect which harp note is being played and had it next to my laptop while watching this video, never once getting the 4 draw bend button to light up on the app. I practiced, rewatched this video, paused, repeat process for a good 45 minutes and all of a sudden with the culmination of all the tips I got the -4'! I was so happy I nearly cheered out loud! Now I'm just working on getting it every single time and getting it into the muscle memory, like learning how to play single clean notes. Thanks so much Tomlin!
That is awesome to hear! So pleased for you and well done for persevering and working through it :-)
which app are u using`?
Mr Trung which app?
What app??
What app?
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Thank you.
Best explains I've seen so far! I am a follower now!
Thank you very much
Û
Thank you
I paused when instructed each time until I achieved an audible difference in tonality. I worked each section thoroughly and changed from slight bend to a clear and deep sustain. While trying to develop proper technique, I developed incorrect techniques simultaneously. Then upon resuming video each time, he explains precisely how to correct such errors as if he was present. By the end of this video (30 mins for me) I was bending smoothly and deeply, half or full! Complete NOOB here, credit due to this MASTERFUL TEACHER! Just started yesterday on your beginner 12 bar blues. Thank You. HOHNER BIG RIVER HARP "C"
+Duke Dixon dude! This is awesome to hear - I'm so pleased. Keep up the good work!
you're gifted, my friend
Hows you playing now I'm new to Harp got seydel 1847 wood and it's a beauty
Tomlin Leckie, how much does the difficulty increase when one goes to steel reeds? I have the basic 5-harp Hohner Roadhouse Blues pack (essentially Chinese crap), and my thought is to replace those with quality harps as I blow them out. But my need right now is for an F harp, as I play ukulele and 75% of the songs I play are in the key of C. Rather than buying another piece of junk, I thought I would get a Seydel, but it will have steel reeds.
ho did you find the toung position ?? 🤔
Most clear explanations about bending. Thanks a lot
Thank you!
I gave up on bending and the harmonica because i could never preform a bend. this video has helped me break that curse.
Good grief......so blasted hard!!! I can't even come close! Very frustrating.
Amen, David. But he did say "six months." Trust me, I'm in the same boat as you. Keep practicing my friend.
It took me a lot of trying, i found the first hole was easiest to bend and just couldnt get the 4th hole to do so. Just keep practicing, and it will come to you
Twelve months and piteux resultat . : Decevant
@@parealbuffalo5790 You get a perfect bend when the sound of the airflow between your tongue and your palate (the roof of your mouth) matches the pitch of the bent note. Once you get that, bending becomes easy. I made a video about this, maybe it can help you.
David Danz it’s easy when you try to pronounce ggggg...
Number 5 was the only thing I needed, I cannot thank you enough 😭❤️
Can you actually bend better now?
@@eduardojara6955 yeah! But it took some time tbh hahaha
Time
I like the EEE...OOO method the best. It was the first method I learned and have never changed.
Whatever works for you :-)
Holy crap! I’ve been noodling on the harmonica for about 15 years (very casually), but never been able to bend notes. I didn’t even make it to the end of this video before I actually managed to bend notes! Seriously - I started learning literally 12 minuters ago and now I bend without much fail! Superb, my man!
That's fantastic news Psykel! Let me know if I can help you further with anything. :-)
Tomlin Leckie Thanks! Can you help me pick up girls?
Tomlin Leckie Never mind. You taught me how to bend tones on the harmonica, so the girls will be coming!
@@Psykel
There ya go!
Great tutorial. What I recently discovered is that no matter which harmonica key and which hole you're playing, you get a perfect bend when the sound of the airflow between your tongue and your palate matches the pitch of the bent note. Once you get that, bending becomes a natural thing to do. Keep up the good work!
Tommy Harmonika huh
I'm trying to grasp how to get the pitch of the note. 🙄
Dude, I have being trying this for weeks based on different ways on internet. None of them works for me. But with your methods, I get it in 5 minutes!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you!
For anyone who may stumble onto this, I am new to the harmonica, and not real qualified to be giving advice, but here's what gave me my first bend, just last night-- while drawing the note in, "swallow" it !
That seems to create the proper configuration of the tongue, etc. It's a little hard to make yourself do the swallowing move while drawing the note in, but as soon as you start it, boom-- there's that bend!
100% percent difference in the tilt of the harmonica!! great tip
Wow! This guys "nails it!" A true Teacher as in the Jethro Tull hit song.
I train for a living, and you are a great instructor. Bravo. Thank you for this!
Picked up my first harmonica today ! Your a very good teacher I got this almost instantly! The eeee o thing really helped
That moment you make a Bend for the first time. :D Feels REALLY GOOOOOOOOOD. Stop video and repeat. Because from now on i'm better than when i first started it :P.... And repeat…..
Hello Mr. Leckie. I'm a retired research scientist trying to help overcome the kind of frustrations I experienced due to the incomplete comprehension of bending in all harmonica instruction I've seen. Yours is the best bending instruction I've seen (I've seen quite a bit), but its partial and doesn't penetrate to the essential concepts as well as it would if it had a little more science foundation. Therefore, it is less helpful than it could be, by a fair amount. The physics and mathematics of bending have been known for about 150 years, and the principles are in very common use (for example, even by motorcycle engineers, from whom I recently learned it). Judging from current harmonica instruction, harmonica players have never encountered this knowledge (to my amazement). The basis for bending is not exceedingly simple, and it's easy for me to explain why its been hard to teach and learn, but it can be made pretty simple to teach and learn once you know all the principles and figured out the shortcuts (no math, suitable for children, etc). You are close to this goal in your instruction, but not there, and are missing a few critical elements. In my experience, with mild tolerance for science so that a harmonica player can understand what they are doing and why, all draw bends in all holes of diatonic harmonicas can be learned in less than an hour immediately after learning to play single notes. Only slight pitch refinement then remains. Blow bends use the same principles but are considerably harder to perfect, for reasons also easy for me to explain. The same principles used for bending can also be used to expand the kinds of harmonica sounds you can make in other interesting ways. I can make my own video of instructions, and might if I have to, but you are a person of eminence in the field and your help would ease the process of helping develop instruction. Let me know if you are interested in helping out. If not, I will probably proceed with the making and posting of my own clumsy video where i will feel like a science dork and have to endure a lot of 'artistic" rejection. Sorry for sounding arrogant, but I play guitar and piano also, and instruction for guitar and piano is so much better because you can play all the notes immediately. Maybe for that reason i have come feel much of the beginner harmonica instruction I've seen spends far too much time too far away from musical competence and is needlessly frustrating and unattractive. As I said at the beginning, I just want to help harmonica players out. I'm way too old and settled to be doing this to seek out fame or income.
Utterly brilliant, effective and simple. Thank you!
These areTHE best harmonica lessons I've ever come across!
I am a diatonic harmonica beginner at Taiwan. I like your lesson, I will try your method from now on.
I've been trying to do the bending so hard since so long and this is the first video that really really helped me.
I could do my first bending... thanks a lot you are the best
I had watched loads of video how to bend before I saw this video. And finally!!! I got it! Thanks Tomlin! Now I finally can bend))
Thank you Tomlin. I have owned a harp (albeit a cheap one) for most of my life. I currently own a Hohner Big River and a Hohner Super Chromonica, both in the key of C, however I just ordered a Special 20 to hopefully make my bending easier. I've never really committed to learning to play, but in the tinkering I have done in the past 40 years I have always struggled with getting a consistent, on key bend. I have have owned books & watched videos attempting to explain it till I'm ready to throw the harp into the ocean. This is the first time someone has walked me through the nuances, step by step, that made a meaningful difference. After just one viewing my bends are more solid and within a few minutes of practicing your tips there is a significant improvement. This just might be the breakthrough I needed to take my playing seriously.
Ok, so after getting frustrated and thinking everyone was bad teachers, including this guy, I realised i was doing mistake number 4. Make slow tongue adjustments, you don't pull it way back, it's only subtle.
Thanks mate! Great video.
6:02 I think this part is most important and most common mistake amongst novices like me who just bought harmonica. Thanks Tomlin!
I got my harmonica yesterday afternoon and just now got bending 4 down. Tip eight really helped!
Awesome Joey!
Wow, this is the only video that helped me pick up bending. The first tip to literally tilt your harmonica is perfect since it provided me with a reference tone. Thumbs up!
I really can't thank you enough for this. I was struggling with the whole step/whole and a half step bend, and your advice on not blowing too hard and mouth movements helped me nail it after so freaking long.
Aw thank you Karthik!
I watched a half dozen other tutorials to no avail. I watched yours and I got it. Perfect explanation
What a great teacher! I've been trying to learn bending for months, and apparently I just need to watch this video to learn it!
Excellent Israel!
Best video on bending by a long shot! your tips were a lifesaver!
I’ve read book and websites for this, but couldn’t touch anything until I see your video. The key tip is at the 5:40 that helps me a lot. Thay you for teaching me that!
I started playing the harmonica back in february (got it as a birthday gift) and I have to admit, bending is HARD, but now, after a LOT of practice I can finally do whole step bends...so if you're struggling, just keep practicing!
The best explanation of how to bend. Thank you!
This is the best tutorial on bending I have seen!
I got it! Once I was able to get a tiny bit of a bend, it was just like you said in #4- slow controlled movements with a strong tongue to find the pitch. If I try to go too fast I lose it, but I've played enough wind instruments to know it's all just developing the muscle memory from here.
hey Tomlin, i am 71 years old and been playing harmonica badly for a decade, never could bend but always found your tips the most helpful of all the millions online and then yesterday, watching you and, on your recommendation, a bit of Gussow...BAM! i got the 2 draw bend. still takes work but i feel for the first time i'm on my way. at my age, gotta hurry!
Hi there! Glad you were able to finally work that out! It's never too late to learn new things :-)
I've played a straight tongue block method and do a lot of melodies but I think that's what was 'blocking' me from bending! After all these years and watching so many others try to teach a bending method, finally YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE that has made it so I can actually bend a note!! I bent the note first try with the tilt method! So easy! I can now bend a little with eeooo! I discovered I can't use the tongue block method and bend at all so thank you so much!! I'm gonna go play some blues!!!
That's awesome to hear Charli! Keep it up :-)
Tomlin thanks n million. Within 5minutes i beat bending with your tips. Was so frustrated for not succeeding for months. You teaching is brilliant!!!
Thank you Elsa!
I practiced for 2 weeks based off another video and I was getting pretty close but I was like, “ is this the right sound?” So using that tilt method I was able to hear the right tone, then I just went eee ooo and it clicked right away. The more you practice the more the explanation of the tonque movements make sense too
The eee oooh shit worked for me straight away too!! I'm fookin chuffed!!
Thank you so much for helping us novices. I inherited my Dad's Hohner harmonica (he was 93) so quite an old one and loving getting to use it. Just working on the bends now :0)
Just i was frustrated that everyone can bend harmonica without me so i cant bend then youtube recommended me this video i just click and then i got this treasure from you just very very thanks
I achieved it using the eeeeeeooooooooo! So happy
Tomlin, I'd like add tip number 9 (or number 0) = get a good professional harp. Many begginners start off with cheap ones, like the BluesBands and it is such a disservice to the player. I've struggled for 4 months to get one single good bend on those, until I finally decided to get me some Special 20s... Man, what a difference. What I couldn't do for months on those, I've learned pretty much on a week on the S20s. Though I am still perfecting my bends, I can hit all of the draws (even the 1 and 1/2 step on 3th hole). Just to show that a good instrument DOES make a huge difference on this case. Cheers from Brazil.
Man, i think i'm having the same problem here. When i'm bending on the fourth hole, i can't get the full bend, and mine is the Bluesband model haha
BR assistindo vídeo aqui também, que coincidencia. abraço
Henrique Alves - this Blues Breaker I don't know, but you should get at least some Special 20s. Abraços e não desista! 😐
É a bluesband mesmo cara, eu me confundi. A mais genérica de todas
Nerenahd Dhaneren eae cara... comprei uma meio no susto, sem presquisar antes... erro meu :( comprei uma hohner em C... queria saber se comprei uma decente
Luiz Felipe Alves Kkkk, comprei no susto foi boa. Olha, existem várias Hohner, muitas são horríveis, muitas são excelentes. Depende de qual vc comprou, se foi qualquer uma mais barata que a Special 20, com certeza é fraca. Agora, eu fiquei nas BluesBand baratas por uns 4 meses, e aprendi umas músicas, aprendi a isolar as notas etc. Pra isso, até q tá valendo. Se vc vai evoluindo e chega num ponto de começar a fazer bends, aí é hora de trocar por uma melhor. Ou se vc está sério sobre tocar gaita, vai logo pra uma Special 20 que vc vai evoluir muito mais rápido. Abs.
I have seen tons of videos explaining the same thing, but for some reason after this one I was able to bend on 1, 2 and 6 son thanks for that
Tip 2 and 5 did it for me. Good video.
Tipping up slightly and the E O were the two most important tips for me!
Oh my god! I got it finally. 2 min literally! Awesome!!!
First lesson I’ve done that allowed me to bend. Thank you so much.
Thats awesome news John! well done for hitting that bend!
Tip #4!! It changed my technique and now I can bend note on any hole! Great vid.
I really learned alot from that short video, on how to bend properly !!!!
Thank you thank you thank you! The key tip for me was to tilt the harmonica slightly up. The tongue action is not as severe as I thought but by bringing it a little back and to the roof to create a narrower channel I can bend 4 🤠
Amazing teacher! Total n00b here (two weeks), already doing a half decent job on single notes, unable to bend; after 15min on this video I got a solid bend on 4-draw. Thank you so much!
Excellent news Claudio!
2:34 Tomlin, tip number 2 worked for me, I think. EEE-UUU. Never found another video as good explanation as yours.
You are a divine teacher!
🙏🙏🙏
Awww, glad that it worked for you! :-)
Man I just bought a new harmonica yesterday after years!! I used to be able to when I was younger probably 15 years ago and I can’t bend for the life of me anymore!! It’s like it just completely left my brain 🧠 🏃 💨🥺
Finally after you tutoring I was able to bend. Thanks for the tips!
That is fantastic to hear - I'm so pleased for you :-)
Thanks I got it on the first try every “technique” thanks to you
Reminds me so much of Once Upon a Time in the West...! If you haven't seen that movie, you should.
Great lesson, thanks for your time and expertise.
Thank you.. Finally succeeded bending after your video..
Thank you for your technical tips on how to play diatonic harmonica .. very useful for me as a beginner to learn from you..Regards from Indonesia
THANK YOU! this is my first day with harmonica and I nailed the single note method but watched 5 other videos on how to bend but finally after watching yours I got it! I play the tin whistle and ocarina but this is a whole different beast. Awesome tips.
The tilting trick totally worked!!! I could not for the life of me get the four hole to bend!!
Thanks from Turkey!
I've had the harmonica for 3 days, and I'm getting bending from this video! It's so funny, I was about to make a comment saying you can hear the tone because you pass by it, expecting such a big note change to be produced by an exaggerated movement, but then he covered it! Lol, but that really is the biggest tip that helps. Play with the movement of your tongue, and listen carefully to the point in your mouth where it's closest to the bend tone, then practice starting with your tongue at the front of your mouth, and stopping at that point but really drawing in a lot of air still. You'll find it, good luck!
Woo - awesome work Everett!
You taught me something on the first lesson. Thanks very much.
Thank you. The eee-oooo really helped. I'm trying to hit my wife up for your 12 week course as a Christmas present.
did she get u the course
Came here from Karin Gredge. Subscribed, thanks for the tutorial
Yes frustrating as I was gonna lost this it’s started to sound more like a bender note.
Good explanations 👍
I bended for the first time in my life....! THIS IS FUN! CAN'T THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR THE TUTORIAL!!
That is awesome news Nick! I'm so pleased for you :-)
Tip 5: Tilting it up helped THE BEST. I had it tilted too low and that one tip made it for me
Count me as another beginner who has benefitted from your bending lesson! I can now draw bend on #4, getting a bend on 3 draw seems harder but will keep experimenting!
Thank you for these lessons!
Awesome tips. Watched a lot of videos before this one. The eeeoooeee tip helped me nail it!
Wow thank You a lot Man. I felt like I want to finish with playing harmonica but you saved me! I saw tousends of videos about how to do it but after wathicng your it finally helped me! THANK YOU!
Woo that is awesome news!
Thanks from Mexico City!! you are great!!
"Bend down" - so to play an F# I should bend on the G? Love your videos! You are helping me to achieve my retirement goal of learning to play harmonica!
That eeee....ooooo work very well for me.....
I got it right away before the this tutorial video even done playing. Thank you!
Great! This is the only one that seems to have covered the tilt of the harmonica on tip 5! Not Gussow, not anyone of the other online instructions mentions the tile
That slight tilt made a world of difference. Hot damn, I've been trying to figure this out all week.
Yes!! You're such an awesome teacher!!! I got it!!
Hi, great lesson. I'm beginner, I went through some other interesting lessons, but you give a tip here that really triggered something in my feeling: actually two tips: NOT GOING to far, and not pulling hard. Thanks to this, I felt something great. Actually I was sucking too strongly... and probably damaging the reeds. Thanks for these tips.
You're welcome Laurent, glad to be of help! :-)
i'll be trying very hard. you are a kick ass teacher
Thank you, master! I don't have my harmonica at this moment, but I know that when I get home and grab it your tips will work perfectly!
My pleasure Juan Martin!
Very good tips! Thanks
Glad you liked them John!
Been struggling with bending, worked through your tips. The first one told be what I was aiming for, tip 5 was a game changer. I can now bend, so grateful.
Literally your first tip helped me bend so much easier. I know covering the hole a bit had something to do with it but this was just such an obvious method that works so good. Gonna keep watching the rest but thank you so much.
OMG I LOVE YOU
I play the harmonica since December and i never get the bend NEVER and just play start on the video and befor listen to you i got it.
I’ve tried so hard to get it and I practiced everyday to no avail but watching this video helped me get it straight away. Awesome!!!
Fantastic Tips. Made it easy for me. at 62 I've learn to bend! Thank you,
IV
Nailed it at tip 5! Thanks buddy. You are the best harmonica teacher on CZcams
thank you so much for this! finally played my first draw bend after this video and it sounds so cool. god bless you and keep you safe
That's a great moment - so glad you hit one!
Badass brother. And well done on your teaching instructions and explanations and direction. Stuck with your every word step by step and sounded perfect every time still so if someone can't listen to your direction and get it right away then maybe they just need to put down the harmonica lol well done.
Just kidding about, "they should just put the harmonica down" thing, always keep practicing
Thanks a million the ee ooh helped a ton first bend right on the spot just need to practice and control my tounge