Bending Notes on the Harmonica: Get that Blues Sound on the Draw and the Blow

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: November 10, 2022 Tested

Bending on the Draw

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Bending on the Blow

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Harmonica Technique

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Ah, the wailing sound of a bluesy harmonica is a beautiful, nostalgic sound. Bending notes to get that “blues” sound on a diatonic harmonica takes some practice, but is achievable no matter your proficiency level. In this article, we’ll show you how to bend on the draw (inhale) and the blow (exhale), plus give you some general harmonica technique pointers. Time to get playin’!

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Bending on the Draw

1
Familiarize yourself with holes you can bend on the draw. Not all notes can be bent on the harmonica. Only holes one through six can be bent when drawing air through the instrument. You may find that you have better luck with one hole over another, but with enough practice, you should be able to bend notes freely.
- Some holes bend more than others. If you aren't able to bend some notes as much as others, don't worry. This is natural.
- The numbers on your harmonica should be on its mouthpiece, above each hole.
2
Practice playing a single hole on the draw. Since you can only bend a single note at a time when playing the harmonica, you'll have to practice your lip or tongue blocking until you can consistently sound a single note. You should do this by drawing air into the instrument, and not blowing.

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3
Vocalize on a single note draw. As you inhale to play your single note on the harmonica, you should alternate between the sounds "Eee" (like the vowel in bee) and "Ooo," (like the vowel in shoe) without breaking or pausing between those vowel sounds. This trick can oftentimes help beginners get a feel for bending notes.
- Your jaw should lower when you transition from the "Eee" to the "Ooo" sound.
- Another vocalizing technique that might help you uses the sounds "Tee" and "Two." Create these by striking the roof of your mouth close to your teeth when transitioning between the hard "Eee" and "Ooo" vowels.^{[1]
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- You can also use this inner mouth T-strike to give punch to your harmonica playing.
4
Practice draw bending notes. Bending is largely intuitive. Once you learn how to bend notes on the harmonica, you'll likely develop an instinct for this technique that will help you master the other draw bends more quickly. Remember to be patient with yourself as you learn. After all, bending notes is an advanced technique.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Bending on the Blow

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Determine the correct holes for blow bending. You can only bend a note on the blow (exhale) with holes eight through ten on your harmonica. Some of these notes will bend more than others, and you may find that some holes are easier for you to bend than others.^{[2]
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- You should experiment bending the notes of these blow bend holes to find which feels most comfortable to you.
- You'll likely find that blow bending is a little more difficult than draw bending, although the two are similar in many ways. For this reason, it's recommended you first learn draw bending.
2
Isolate a single note on the blow. Same as with draw bending, you'll need to narrow your mouth or block off other holes with your tongue so that you're only playing a single note while blow bending. Practice this until you can do so consistently with a full and rich tone.
- Be sure you are only practicing this note on the blow. You will not be able to bend holes eight through ten on the draw.
3
Vocalize on the single note blow. Opposite of blow bending, you'll need to start first with an "Ooo" sound (as in shoe) and transition to an "Eee" sound (as in bee). Your jaw should begin in a lower position for the "Ooo" and raise on the "Eee."
- You may find it easier to punctuate your transition between vowel sounds with a T. Similar to draw bending, strike the roof of your mouth near the back of your front teeth when transitioning to between "Two" and "Tee" sounds.^{[3]
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4
Practice blow bending notes. It may take you quite some time before you learn to blow bend naturally. If you're having difficulty, try adding variations to the intensity of your blow. You may also find that by altering your mouth shape, like dropping your draw extra low on the first vowel sound, helps you achieve your bend.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Harmonica Technique

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Hold your harmonica correctly. You should hold your harmonica nestled in your left hand, with your thumb supporting the bottom of the instrument and your other fingers along the top. The harmonica should be oriented so that the numbers printed on its holes are facing upwards.
- Take your hand and form an open C-shape with your fingers and thumb. Your harmonica should be positioned deeply into the C-shape, tucked into the area where your thumb joins your hand.
2
Form a seal with your harmonica and mouth. You should not pucker your lips as you would for a kiss or play the harmonica with only the outer portion of your lips. The case of the harmonica will need to be in contact with the inner part of your mouth to give you proper control while playing. Your lips should touch the casing and the wood/plastic body should be inside your mouth.
- For the best control and quality of tone, you should try to keep your jaw as relaxed as possible while playing.
- Your jaw should be slightly lowered when playing your harmonica. This will create more space in your mouth and give your playing a richer tone.
- While getting used to forming a proper mouth seal with your harmonica, it can be difficult holding the instrument in position while keeping your jaw relaxed. Take your time, and practice until this becomes second nature.
3
Practice blocking notes. Blocking is a harmonica technique that closes off other holes so you can play a single note. This is especially important for bending, as you can only bend a single note at a time on the harmonica. There are two different kinds of blocking:
- Lip blocking is best for bending notes in blues and melody. Use your lips to block all other holes of your harmonica by narrowing the opening of your mouth to about the width of a pencil.
- Tongue blocking closes off other notes that are open to your mouth by covering them with your tongue, leaving a single free hole to either side of your mouth. You won't need to narrow your mouth as much doing this as you would with lip blocking.
4
Control your breathing. When you play a note by exhaling it's called "blowing." Oppositely, playing a note by inhaling is called "drawing." For the best sound quality when playing, you shouldn't puff on your harmonica, but breathe through it with well supported breath.
- You won't need to blast your harmonica with strong streams of air. You can get a full, rich sound from your harmonica with moderate amounts of sustained breathing.
- As you become more skillful at playing the harmonica, you may find that you can breathe somewhat through the instrument to reduce the amount of full breaths you take. This can help you sustain long melodic phrases without a break in the sound.

Community Q&A

Question

Do you have to shift the harmonica to bend the note or it is the vowel sound you make the bend?

Community Answer

Some people find that by holding the harmonica on a small angle in their mouth, they can bend more easily. However, the major factor when bending is the shape of the inside of your mouth. The vowel sound you make doesn't bend the note, rather, the change in air flow and resonance of the inside of your mouth does.
Question

Can I play harmonica by ear without reading musical notes?

Community Answer

Yes, of course you can. Being able to read music is helpful, but you don't have to learn how if you don't want to.
Question

You say bending is changing the note slightly. What is the purpose behind this?

Community Answer

The purpose of bending a note is to add a special effect to the sound. Different genres have different sounds to them, and bending a note is especially helpful in blues. It will add an effect that mimics wailing or crying in a longing manner.