It's strange that I cannot do that bending at all. Or just a little, downwards, but it sounds really bad. It just moves into the next note so easily, especially if I try to bend upwards. I practice normally with a mute, I don't know if that makes it harder or is it just my embouchure.
A mute won't make a difference regarding your access to half-step bending. It's a question of your technique on a more macro level. If it doesn't feel doable, you can still experience lots of benefits from doing the trills WITH valves -- as long as you're still striving for an equal amount of resonance on both notes, which would ideally involve exactly the same technique with or without using the valves.
Hey Thomas. Sure. Nowadays I'm more often incorporating half-step bending into my playing in other ways, but when coming back from a long break, or when I feel like I've lost a little bit of accuracy, I do still come back to this routine that I started doing in my early 20's. The first 3 bars coincide with the "Pivot Stabilizer" exercise from Reinhardt, which is a great challenge that demands the utmost concentration on the details of how you use your body. Enjoy! www.dropbox.com/s/9lxybm1xxbgkgnx/Half-Step%20Bending%20Warm%20Up.pdf?dl=0
How about bending upwards, like from c to c sharp or to d? I find it much harder than bending downwards. But the really good setting you get from it is very rewarding.
Very good question. I really don't like bending upwards at all. I know some people enjoy it as a tool for gaining better control onsite level, but I find no personal benefit in bending up on notes where all you find is a lower-quality sound, and usually, increased aperture tension. For me, making a big, rich sound sound is the #1 most important thing, and bending upwards goes in the complete opposite direction.
@@adamrapa1 I'm not sure what upward bending is, but I did half tone bends down for a long while but I replaced that with "upwards bending" meaning I was on a G and then played G but with 23 (so basically a G# half tone bended into a G). It is easier and more revealing if you have perfect intonation in your bend or not, and also the feeling of keeping the good sound you have with your correct fingering before you do the bend. Is this what you mean with upward bending?
The weird thing with all these execicies. I can play mots of these 'tricks'. Being half note bending, pedal tones etc... I can do it all. But range and endurance? nope.
What a neat exercise. It is NOT easy to do for someone who's not done it before.
It's strange that I cannot do that bending at all. Or just a little, downwards, but it sounds really bad. It just moves into the next note so easily, especially if I try to bend upwards. I practice normally with a mute, I don't know if that makes it harder or is it just my embouchure.
A mute won't make a difference regarding your access to half-step bending. It's a question of your technique on a more macro level. If it doesn't feel doable, you can still experience lots of benefits from doing the trills WITH valves -- as long as you're still striving for an equal amount of resonance on both notes, which would ideally involve exactly the same technique with or without using the valves.
Do have you the half-step bending routine written out? I would really help.
Hey Thomas. Sure. Nowadays I'm more often incorporating half-step bending into my playing in other ways, but when coming back from a long break, or when I feel like I've lost a little bit of accuracy, I do still come back to this routine that I started doing in my early 20's. The first 3 bars coincide with the "Pivot Stabilizer" exercise from Reinhardt, which is a great challenge that demands the utmost concentration on the details of how you use your body. Enjoy! www.dropbox.com/s/9lxybm1xxbgkgnx/Half-Step%20Bending%20Warm%20Up.pdf?dl=0
@@adamrapa1 thanks Adam. Means a lot to me
@@adamrapa1 by the way, really liking my Lotus 3M2 & 3L
@@thomaskaswurm3658 EXCELLENT! Really glad.
Bending that high C is hard as fuck ...
How about bending upwards, like from c to c sharp or to d? I find it much harder than bending downwards. But the really good setting you get from it is very rewarding.
Very good question. I really don't like bending upwards at all. I know some people enjoy it as a tool for gaining better control onsite level, but I find no personal benefit in bending up on notes where all you find is a lower-quality sound, and usually, increased aperture tension. For me, making a big, rich sound sound is the #1 most important thing, and bending upwards goes in the complete opposite direction.
@@adamrapa1 I'm not sure what upward bending is, but I did half tone bends down for a long while but I replaced that with "upwards bending" meaning I was on a G and then played G but with 23 (so basically a G# half tone bended into a G). It is easier and more revealing if you have perfect intonation in your bend or not, and also the feeling of keeping the good sound you have with your correct fingering before you do the bend. Is this what you mean with upward bending?
The weird thing with all these execicies. I can play mots of these 'tricks'. Being half note bending, pedal tones etc...
I can do it all.
But range and endurance? nope.