Adding Grit to Your Sound

Now we're starting to get all the shorts and longs sorted out. It's beginning to sound really rock and bluesy. But how can we get some more down and dirty grit into it?

Introducing Inflections

We can achieve that by using what we might call inflections. They can be all sorts of things, effects that create a different kind of sound and transport us to a different place.

Listening Exercise

Let's listen to me play the first phrase, and I'll add some inflections. See if you can spot where those are.

Counting In: 1, 2, 3, 4.
1, 2.

Could you tell where they were? I'll do it one more time:
1, 2, 3, 4.
1, 2.

That one was quite obvious right at the end of the phrase. I did what's called a bend into that note. It's like a kind of lazy way of getting into the note.

Practice the Bend

Follow my lead:
1, 2, 3, 4. Bodie.

So how do we do a bend? Well, there are different ways.

Using the Valves

One way is to use the valves. Normally, when moving from that G sharp at the end of the third bar, we would press the valves down like this:

• We go from 2 and 3 to 1 and 2.
• We move the valves quickly, pressing them down quickly so the note transitions smoothly.

But in this instance, we want to create a kind of glisten, a nice little bend into the note.

Try it: Be lazy with the changeover of the valves. I was a bit too lazy that time. Let's try again. You have a go!

Bending with Air and Tongue

There's another way we can bend notes: by using our air stream combined with our tongue, changing the mouth cavity to facilitate the bend.

I'll demonstrate that now, and then you'll be able to experiment to see if you can do it!