harmonica bending for beginners
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- www.modernblues...
Bending notes on the lower draw reeds is a fundamental blues harmonica technique, something every beginner needs to master. With Adam Gussow of Modern Blues Harmonica.
Here are two beginner's packages that will help you build on what I've shown you in this video:
Modern Blues Harmonica beginner's special:
www.tradebit.c...
Modern Blues Harmonica beginner's deluxe:
www.tradebit.c...
Please subscribe! / @gussowsclassicbluesha...
©Adam Gussow 2015. All rights reserved.
Swallowed my tounge and died. 10/10 would recommend
Best comment ever. Can confirm
Tongue ;P
@@revoir-draws3270 Zunge
iSonikYT lol sorry, I’m what my dad calls a Grammar Nazi, it bothers me when people don’t do proper grammar 😅
@@revoir-draws3270 Well Tounge is grammatically not wrong. Grammar defines the rules for building the right structure of a sentence. So you are an orthography nazi in this case, but not a grammar nazi.
Btw i just did an "linguistic category nazi move" on you ;P
(I hope you dont have to speak a 2nd language)
This guy should be a game or talk show host.
This guy appreciates that.
@@gussowsclassicbluesharmoni2726 Just watched your documentary 'Satan & Adam' on Netflix, fantastic work! Because of you I'm now going to learn the harmonica.
Yes, like Bill Nye!
Is that your final answer
He is. His name is Chris Hanson.
Every time he looks away I half expect a crazy wife yelling "Dammit, Gusscow! What did I tell you about sneaking out here?! Get yo' ass back inside before I...."
Hahaha !
And clean your bloody shoes!!
Hahaha
Me: None of this is working for me
Him: Try to be a kamikaze pilot
Me: That sounds weird for a instrument, (Trys it) God damn... it worked
It worked exactly for me on that very moment😂
I got it at 1:59 after plenty of other tutorials. And I smiled in pure joy after i hit the first bend. THANK YOU!!
A huge thanks you, gussow 😄
Ha ha - it worked for me too
That feeling when you finally get a bend is amazing. Seriously. Do not give up it took me a while.
Got my first one today and was *so* happy. Haha.
A byzantine commie flag wtf is wrong with you, those 2 don't go together lmfao
2:08 now this is a true bluesman
You are a wonderful teacher, sir. I started playing last night and I can already do some nice bends, blues base rythym, and feel so much better about playing. Thank you! From the bottom of my heart. I'll be watching all your videos.
you any good now? XD
@@wigglybiscuit7940 thats what im wondering. are you?
Do you still play?
Found the instrument lying around a few days ago. Just worked out the first slight bend and instantly got an insane grin on my face and laughed like I haven't laughed in a while. Like tasting a new flavour or seeing a new colour. Funny stuff. You may just have evoked a harmonica passion in me, thanks!
Now back to the 101 and start learning to play the thing, before I get ahead of myself.
You've got the right spirit for this instrument.
Adam, you're teaching style is really cool. I like the way you're trying to work it out on camera like you're trying to figure out how to teach. It forces the student to go through the steps of trying to figure it out with you.
Thanks! I think you've figured out my secret. :)
I got this by saying 'Eeyore' when inhaling. I'm having a MUCH easier time bending than vibrato.
Had a hard time with the video, but your technique worked! Hah thanks
Wow. Works every time and effortlessly. Eeyore! :D Thanks.
Gent
That does work. Maybe you should do a CZcams video.
D@mn, Eeyore did it -- Thanks!!!
Oh my goodness I worked for weeks and finally got it. 2017 will be the year of bending harmonicas for me! Thanks!
Let's bend the blues hell out of that harmonica bro !!
here we are bro
IKR! Been playing guitar for many years so I figured harmonica would be easy. WRONG! LOL. I am getting it though little by little and do really enjoy practicing and the challenge. Tossed my $5 pos and got the model that Adam suggests, Hohner Marine Band, 1896 in C and man it's like going from a Chevette to a Corvette! Oh joy!!
Corvette is chevrolet.
Jeremy Johnson so is a chevette
water
earth
fire
harmonica
I'm kinda worried now that Adam is gonna get himself swallowed up by the Mississippi mud one day.
Hi Adam, I've been trying to draw bend for one year now and I just couldn't do it but, I watched this video and 'BANG' I can now do it so, I'm jumping for 'JOY'.
Excellent! I'm glad the explanation worked.
A simple explanation of you did a fine job Gussow , keep on showing us your tricks , superb !!!
Man I remember watching this video 2 years ago.
It was absolute hell learning how to even get my foot in the door with this..... glad to be done with that stage.
You are such a good teacher! I tried only once after watching this video and amazingly I just DID it!!
Excellent! I hope others will approach this challenge with your energy and enthusiasm.
Props to this man for teaching us how to bend harmonica notes while the CIA is out looking for him
I learnt how to bend with this video and you know what, I'm still watching this again just for the character you are Adam You are a unique harp blues player. Thank you for encouraging new players💯
This is the second video I have watched, different people. And this guy’s technique and his teaching style get a 10 from me out of 10 points! I’ve got it now! Thank you so much!! I’m now a bender!
Been trying to bend with the inward wistle method for yearssss. . you come along with the notion of imagine that you are pulling something hard and to do it fast like a kamakazi pilot, thank god you said that cause I just bent my first note ! Outstanding sir ! Thank you very much :)
Adam's videos made me purchase a Hohner Marine Band harmonica....So, if my neighbors start to complain.... I'm telling them that Adam made me do it!
That "kamikaze" analogy got me to do it right :D thnx!!!!
yes, that was the best tip for me as well. Haven't got it, yet, though. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, who knows? =)
@@mazingMonkey
Did you get it yet?
Did it right for exactly one second, then sank into the mississippi mud. 7/10 tutorial
YES!!! I did it! Two months since I started with my Seydel 1847, today I've bent D to D-b (half-tone lower, draw hole #4). Adam, thank you very much for your advises!!!
Did you measure your pitch? The other day I was watching someone supposedly very talented with harmonica and some of their bent notes were bent too far. Otherwise their speed, smoothness, accuracy, chords, etc. all sounded good, just the over bent notes took it from sublime to... kinda sickening, like eating a delicious salad and finding a half eaten blob of mud.
Ah, that thing about really having to really feel like you're 'pulling' the note through, THAT DID IT! Thank you! I just bought a harmonica on a whim today because I wanted something to riff on a blues scale with, only to learn that, hah, no... it's noooooot that easy.
Oh! Sir!!! I tried to bend notes on my harp and it was almost impossible, in fact, absolutely impossible until I saw and studied you video above........and WOW!!!!!! WHAT A GREAT DIFFERENCE!!!!! SUCCESS AT LAST!!!! Even in so many, many different fields of many of the arts, proper technique is crucial!!!! THANK YOU EVER-SO-MUCH!!!!! FOR YOUR SUPERB TEAHING METHODS!!!!!!
Why does he keep looking around? Is he on the run from the law? Did he steal that harmonica and now he's hiding out in the woods? I'm joking, but it would be even funnier if it were true.
I wondered the same. Maybe he's scared he's imitating a moose mating call by accident?
He is breaking the sacred oath of secrecy by showing how to bend notes on the harmonica
@@herpderp297 , Hey, he knew the risks associated with this dangerous undertaking. And it begs the question; " If a harmonica player gets wacked in the forest, does it make a sound?"
"You should be able to do that if you went out and actually paid money and got yourself a harmonica." 🤔
Yea he just thought he'd give a quick lesson while on the run😂😂😂
When I got my first bend I was so happy I don't think I've ever been so happy with an instrument, I play guitar drums and keys pretty much whatever I can get my hands on but the harmonica is so much fun I can't describe it, I just feel I'm bending wrong even though I get the note I want
This man is an actual airbender
Just saw another comments referencing to the ATLA universe. Fancy seeing anime fans here!
Okay so lol, though I did reply to your comment just to say that I also wanna ask a list of different harmonica skills I should be learning cuz I decided to start today an only got youtube to learn and got no idea where to start. Whether you helped me or not, take a like ;)
the "ke - ku" thing worked so well!!! i was struggling so much hearing no difference no matter what i tried but when doing the ke ku thing it just suddenly worked
The jaw drop method worked for me rite away. I think the key for me was learning how to play a single note first.
The "pulling feeling" did it for me. Played too soft at first, can't be shy when bending for the first time. Thank you!!
Same. When the bending happens for a begginer is very satisfactory
For those feeling that this is an impossible feat, I found that raising your tongue towards the roof of your mouth helps, like stated in the video. However, you'll have to raise the whole tongue and not just the tip of the tongue. That way, you're constricting the airflow and the sound actually bends. When I accidentally found this out, all the tips he gave (e.g. moving your jaw) made complete sense immediately.
Thanks helped me understand it.
This is probably the greatest tip I’ve ever learned
thanks for your info Adam. i was bending the 1 and 2 already quite easy just by opening my throat and lowering my jaw but i kept my tongue at the bottom.
had to work very hard to get the 3 and 4 going . after you told in this video about the kamikaze pilot sound and keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth it made so much difference. i can now bend all the notes without much effort so i guess this is the way to go. took me a few weeks to understand but i think i have got it now.
i can even bend the 3 for all 3 extra notes without great effort.
amazing stuff thank you for sharing this with us.
You are so right about needing a teacher (as you have said in other videos). I watched so many videos about bending but never got it until Matthew Smart had me put my hand on his throat as he bent a note. I felt the way his esophagus moved and it all clicked! I do enjoy your videos :)
Damn can you elaborate on that lol
started last night Adam and getting the basic hang of it. very excited. thanks
This is so...GOOD. Everything makes sense AND the camera work is great!
Also, holy crap the kamikaze thing sounds so ridiculous but it worked
One of The Best videos - that explains how to bend for the newbie
The kamikaze pilot analogy helped me so much. I tried it and instantly got bending!
Dang I'm making some weird sounds!
Update!!!
Done it. In one hour! The "kee koo" method worked for me. I got the bend when my mouth was transitioning between the "kee" and the "koo"! Haha
So Simple!!!! I've been watching thousends lessons, with diagrams, and pictures, and didn't understand nothing. And that was just "ki-ku" and plain going down... Amazing!!! Thank you!!!
He solves the problems your having 10/10
Thanks for this amazing tutorial! I mastered this concept before the video even ended. That was a FAST tutorial!
Sir, the Kee Kuu did the trick!!! it's like the first time you're able to ride a bycicle or are able to stand on a surf: mind blowing!
This is it! This is the video that finally got me to bend. "You gotta really feel like you're pulling something" was what I was missing. Thank you for the great video!
yes, I agree. I almost got it there as well. not quite, but close =)
You`re an amazing teacher, Adam!! Thanks so much for not giving up on us. There`s a bunch of us crazies who really want to get it right and we will!! This is a virtual, taking off my hat to you. Promise to persevere.
I began playing in early 1980s of Hohner Golden Melody in C & in E and later I moved on to Marine Band,Crossover and also Pro Harp,Meisterklasse aluminium alloy and also Seydel Blue's Session..I practice on Hohner Blue's band in set of all different key's tuned by Hohner factory in Germany where I reside.. I'm also playing Hohner Chromatic 64 280 c 16 Hole's & Meisterklasse 7565 14 Hole's & also Tower 24 Hole's.. Thanks to Adam Gussow for furthermore polishing and letting me understand some of the most intricate and minute technicalities of Harmonica's which wouldn't have been possible without his help..Thanking Adam Gussow from Hamburg City, Lohbrügge.. Germany
Just got my harmonicas today. I was having trouble playing different notes. Thanks for the video.
that kee koo tip was amazing, instantaneous
Unlike other videos on harmonica bending, this is the most instructive, thanks so much for this lesson😊😊😊
I've heard all sorts of people try to explain how to bend notes. No one could do it. I had to keep trying for about a year before I finally got it. Seemed like magic. And it's not so much how your mouth is shaped - you do that anyways. It's got more to do with the tongue. When I analyzed it, I realized I was moving my tongue forward - towards the harp (and down at the same time - towards the bottom of the of the mouth) in order to get the bend.
I don't move my jaw at all. That seems pretty clumsy to me.
Keep moving your tongue up & down to get a kind of warble.
Also, the reeds of some harmonicas are just easier to bend. The Hohner Special 20 works really well for me, right out of box. I like Lee Oskars too, but they often need to be broken in.
Just keep at it!
Your comment provoked me to listen to this video for the first time in many years, just to compare what you've written with what I actually say and do in the video. (You'll note from the comments, btw, that quite a few people have learned how to bend from this video.) What I'm doing in the video is cycling through a range of approaches or strategies that beginning players might try in order to create their first bend, hoping that one of them will break the player through into that first bend. When I talk about "changing the shape of your mouth," I clearly indicate that the way you do this is by changing the positioning of your tongue in your mouth. One can change tongue position by moving the tongue and keeping the jaw still; that's how I bend 98% of the time. When I'm scooping, however--playing a repeated series of 4 draws, each of which begins bent and quick un-bends--then moving the jaw is, in fact, a quick and effective way of producing those mini-bends. (I.e., it's not "clumsy.) As for moving the tongue up towards the roof of the mouth, back, and then down towards your throat (a way I describe here) vs. your way of moving the tongue forward and then down, AWAY from the roof of your mouth: I'm glad it works for you. Harmonica can be played in many ways. That doesn't work for me, nor do I suggest it for beginners. Nor do I think, after 50 years of playing, that harps of any make or model particularly need to be "broken in." I used to think that when I was in my late teens. Now I simply take a harp out of the box and play it, and do what I want on it. "Broken in" suggests that the metal reeds need to be slightly fatigued in order to play properly. It may be true that a harp plays better after a couple of dozen gigs, but in reality, every harp player should develop good enough technique and strong enough chops to produce the required sounds on an out-of-the-box harp. Of course some pros play custom harps, which are clearly easier to play and require incrementally less air pressure. Those harps, too, require no break-in period.
I learned more on this video than any other video I’ve seen
Life long dream and it's day 1. Loved it! Thanks Man.
Gussow, you are a magnificent teacher.
Started the day before yesterday, made my first bend today.
I find a lot of instructors over complicate their music as if they're in a university environment. A lot of people don't know more than the names of notes, and they're placing, much less the relation they intimately share...I've had more success on my own than ever being taught by bad teachers. You have a wonderful way of explaining music! Sure beats the hell out of books! Thank you very much sir! I look forward to seeing all of your videos to the point I'm playing my own songs with the harp!!
The ki ku thing did it for me, now its practise time. Thanks a ton Adam, cheers
The pull/compression analogy did it for me. Thanks!
Took two days, but I think I finally got the bend. The kee coo technic followed by the plane sound (in that order for some reason) did it for me. I think I struggle a bit because of a horrendous overbite, but it's coming. Thanks for the great videos(:
WOW!... had already done this on my C and Bb harps. Funny part is, I was just experimenting. Didn't know what a "bend " was. Well, picked up my C after watching this and low and behold...already knew how to bend...almost every note...just didn't know what they called it...until now. Easy lesson this was..LOL Tounge method. Jaw drop threw off my single note accuracy. Tounge method came natural. COOL ! Thanks Adam !
Just pulled off my very first bend thanks to this video. Felt great.
i think you are the best harmonica teacher period!!!
I love your analogies, I am taking your course and I have learned so much, now I just learned something I was already doing LOL
Holy shit, this is so help full -- ive been angling the harmonica, and lowering my jaw; the tounge trick and 'jap kamikaze trick' is so helpful!
I watched some videos to learn to bend but this was the best, Thanks! You are a great teacher! ✨🙏🏽
thanks a ton. My cover band just added Mary Janes Last Dance, Roadhouse Blues, and Every Time I Roll the Dice and I elected myself to play harmonica and your videos are helping a ton!! Trying to get them to add The Wizard by Sabbath and that's what brought me here.
Thanks for your patience!
I found that if you give it a quick burst when you start the draw - like, suck really hard briefly - then relax it a bit, you can control the bend better. But Adam is not apparently doing that. So I don't know if I'm doing something wrong. But it works for me.
I love your enthusiasm and teaching, Adam. Many thanks.
Thanks a lot, my first succesfull bending came after watching this video, the Kamikaze pilot method really works!!
I bent my first note with your help. Thank you. Now I need to remember what did I do because I forgot the motion.
And of course thank you so much Adam for those videos, i discovered you just yestersay and i'm already so grateful, i'll come back here often to tell about my progress 🔥
ive tried everthing and i still cant bend
That was the best bending tutorial I ever seen!!! Freakin learned it so easy 😱😱😱 I been struggling with this for so long
Lieben Dank, Adam. - The occasional commercial breaks shown while I am here on the island of Crete are in Greek and somewhat wasted on me as a potential customer. :-)
dude thank you for this video you explain it a lot more easily
Very hard though.
LetsPencil indeed
Who else just bended for the first time ever watching this video? It suddenly clicked for me, and I got so excited I just kept bending all over the place. Now to keep up practice!
I don't know if anyone will see this comment, but I found a comment on a forum that just let EVERYTING just click, especially with the tongue position:
Take a straw or imagine a straw in your mouth > imagine sucking air through it, but be thorough with your imagination as your brain needs to take this position > now imagine sucking as if it's icecream/milkshake in it. This change in your tongue is exactly how you'll be altering the air stream. I wasn't able to conceptualize it before FIRST doing the sucking air through the "straw" and THEN moving to the sucking position for a milkshake. After this, I had a perfect bend in about an hour.
Yay, found my grandfather's old harmonica and I'm so excited 😊 thanks Adam! I subscribed 👍
This is a great video. The best one on CZcams for bending. I really appreciate you taking the time to teach us this. Thank you!
Adam, you are a wonderful teacher. Thanks a million!
This really helped put it in perspective for me I've had trouble trying to bend for a while and this helped me, thank you!
Just got mine today and already bending this is awesome
I'm mostly getting a talkbox effect, getting a kind of yo sound when I try to bend and a kind of wee sound when I return back. I think I'm bending the note slightly down but not as much as I should, although it's darn hard to tell. Is there some obvious rookie mistake that leads to the talkbox effect? I know it generally takes months of practice and I've only just started, but I still think knowing what I do wrong would help me if it's at all possible.
Same. Must be this cheap harmonica....
Thanks for the tip. Now I'm going off on a " bender"!!!
Am watching from Zambia,,this is really amazing lessons.
Thanks and welcome!
I'm getting my harmonica today in the mail. Can't wait to try bending!😜
A beginner starting on a harp of that calibre. You really don't want to know what they cost here in South Africa. Very very expensive. The silver star model was the cheapest to start on, but recently their prices have shot thru the roof as well. Anyway, keep up the good work.
i'm late to the party but this video is encouraging. thanks
Excellant another less experienced teacher then you tried to tell me to change the harp angle to bend. No luck for me but I understood the lesson from you instantly. Thanks so MUch! Notice the bend?
This is just awesome video because I was try it like hell I couldn't get it. The kiku and jet crash sounding idea is damn good helped me a lot
I found these little things SO helpful ! Lol it’s funny how we can work so hard on something then that little thing comes to you attention one way or another that helps you leap forward... lol we’ll sever little things in this video ... well they were my epiphanies... haha
The trick that worked for me was Darth Vader breathing box sound on draw 4,once you realize what you actually have to do you can do it without the Vader sound.
Thank you for the awesome lesson. This technique really got me going with bending....
Me: alright one more time
*takes deep breath to start over*
Me: Crap I forgot!!!!
I watched one of your videos awhile back and at that time what you were teaching was a little advanced for my ability. I don't remember which video it was. After actually getting time to practice on the harmonica more and pick up some stuff from other videos the one thing I was having difficulty with was bending. By the end of this video I could actually bend a little using the tongue lifting technique. Thank you for explaining it so clearly. You are an amazing player.
He saw a black guy playing blues on a guitar in Harlem on the streets, asked if he could play along with he's harmonica ,ok he said ,sounded great
hey this video just taught me how to bend a note, thanks a lot! it was the kamikaze pilot method that made it click for me
The "key" "Koo" thing is what got it for me
Great lesson. To the point and not too wordy. 👍