Beefing Up Those Bends – 2 Draw

Holy Diatonic Batman!

Elwood The Apprentice had just finished wrapping his last set of replacement reed plates for Christmas when from somewhere downstairs… Zap! Wh@ck, Whåp, B#ff,  Biƒf, P*w, Zôwie, Spl@tt, Tºot.. He ran to the Good Doctor’s study.. Holy Diatonic Batman! What in the world is this? Revolving walls, hidden rooms, disguises? What is the Good Doctor’s wild secret? Has he ventured into the night to engage in mortal combat with modal meddlers, chromatic criminals, or some overblown oddballs intent on jamming his reeds for good? Is that him caterwauling in the Harp Surgery’s outhouse with Cat Woman? Or has he stepped out incognito to practice his two draw bends? Quick Otis, to the Harp Mobile.

Relax dear reader, the Doc is simply preparing a seasonal stocking filler for you to rehearse between your Christmas pudding and the Queen’s speech. You remember the old Batman & Robin TV series? All handbag fights and satin knickers. Well bizarrely enough the theme tune is actually a great resource for honing those two draw bends. Grab a C major harp from your bat utility belt and join us for some caped crusading.

It couldn’t be much simpler. Two blasts on the straight draw. Two blasts on the half bend. Two blasts on the the full bend. And back again. You can control the bends from your vocal tract or from the front of your tongue. Try both methods. And see how accurately you can hit that half bend on the return leg (highlighted in red).

2D..2D   2D’..2D’   2D”..2D”   2D’..2D’ 2D..2D   2D’..2D’   2D”..2D”   2D’..2D’ …. BATMAN!

Meanwhile somewhere in Gotham City..

Remind yourself of the original theme tune here. Merry Christmas!