Bending Those Piano Notes

Pitch Bending-

It can be done easily on harmonicas, saxophones, trumpets, fiddles, and just about every instrument including drums, even accordions with some creative half-key techniques,  and is probably, in it's purest form, an emulation of the voice.  Pitch bending is pervasive in jazz, pop and blues - synthesizer-makers have given us a myriad of portamento pitch bend bars, wheels and blowing devices just for that purpose, but what do we do on the acoustic piano where the hammer is literally disconnected from the key when it strikes the string?  Grace notes and glissandos give us some measure of satisfaction, but there's another way, using illusion. 
  The basic principle involves deception, something as jazz pianists, we use all the time in other ways. (Future post idea!)  A simple pitch bend illusion is illustrated here - in the 1st example, if you are careful to lift the finger off the key on the eighth rests and give the whole note its full value  ( i.e. PLAY THE RESTS!)  it should sound like F is being repeatedly bent up to Gb.

Here, if we start the pitches together, it will sound like the Gb is being bent repeatedly down to the F,

Here are a couple examples of using the Bending technique in a simple Blues line.   Play the rests and give the written notes full value as notated! Imagine the note actually bending as you play these and you will be more successful in creating the illusion. Vary the weight with which you play the sustained note ( the F) and it will change the effect. Varying the duration of the eighth notes will also change the effect.

Schimmel Pegasus Grand Piano - speaking of things that are bent....