Posted by Cinciti on December 30, 2002 at 13:29:39:
In Reply to: A few things posted by Stan Besaw on December 30, 2002 at 05:27:04:
: 1. Cheap harmoncas are tough to learn to bend on because they leak air. Make sure this isn't part of your problem.
: 2. Everything is related. Make sure your single notes and breathing are reasonably good. You should first be able to get and maintain a single note with the harmonica comfortably into your mouth. Your jaw is dropped and your teeth are spread apart so the harmonca is actually close to 1/2" into your mouth. If you bite down, your front teeth would touch the harmonica.
: 3. Make sure you can hear the bent sound in your head first, before trying to bend. Use the sound files on this site. Can you whistle or sing the bent and the unbent sounds?
: 4. Don't quit. It's hard for everyone.
: Good luck,
: Stan
I noticed that when I first started learning to bend by tilting I was making the mistake of actually tilting my lips up while tilting the harmonica. Try keeping your mouth in the same position when you tilt. Almost as if there were little rollers on the harmonica where your mouth is!
Hang in there, you'll get it.