Bending Exhale Note
By now you should be getting quite good at bending inhale notes. It is also possible to bend exhale notes in the high register of the harmonica (often called "blow note bends"). The most commonly bent exhale notes are holes 7, 8 and 9, and sometimes 10.
The technique is similar to the one used when bending inhale notes, except that you are blowing air out through the harmonica.
Exhale bends can be difficult at first but like everything else, they get easier the more you practice them. They are easier to execute on lower sounding harmonicas such as an A harp or a G harp. This is because the reeds are more flexible. The following example demonstrates exhale bends on holes 7, 8 and 9 using an A harp in first position (High octave). Listen to the CD and then practice the example for a short time each day until you can play it with a reasonable amount of control.
Here is a lick using the exhale bends you have just learnt. It is also played on an A harp. Memorize it and then play it along with the recording. Once you start to get some control of blow note bends, get a G harp and practice using them while improvising in first position with the first two Jam-along tracks at the end of CD2 (ex79 and 80).
The following solo uses the exhale note bends you learnt on the previous page. It is played on an A Harp in first position. It uses ideas from the playing of Jimmy Reed and James Cotton, two players who are great at using exhale bends in their Blues playing.
On the recording, the whole progression is repeated without the harp so you can play with the band. Play the solo until you have it under control and then try improvising along with the band using exhale bends. Have fun with it!
