Tom585
55 posts
Oct 22, 2017
12:55 PM
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Do you overblow the one hole? It seems extra difficult.
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John M G
164 posts
Oct 22, 2017
3:08 PM
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The only time I've ever got a one overblow was on a new set of reed plates for a G crossover. It was there, then it was gone! I'm with you Tom
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Bike&Harp
129 posts
Oct 22, 2017
6:21 PM
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Nope i can't get it and i've been trying for the past couple of years. I can get it to overblow but i can't get a nice balance between the overblow and the regular blow note. I've embossed the harp straightened the reed so that it closes the slot as well as possible but still it's not how i want it. I mean getting the ob to where i can use it in music without thinking too much about it. I can however OB hole 1 on my F harp. I can get that pretty much at will. But on the C and lower i can't get it.
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Tom585
56 posts
Oct 22, 2017
8:02 PM
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I just started practicing a half-valved harp and can get the missing note (flat third in first position) on it, although it needs work before I can use it with authority.
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STME58
2038 posts
Oct 22, 2017
8:15 PM
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I can do it on a few of my harps. It seems to work best with extrodinarily light breath force.
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Gnarly
2327 posts
Oct 22, 2017
11:38 PM
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Well, it's the only chromatic note missing from the first octave, providing you can accurately draw bend to pitch--so it's worth being able to do. Same note on hole four, in the next octave.
I can do it on a harp that is set up well, but I doubt if I have ever done it in performance--I think 6 OB is the only one I routinely employ.
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The Iceman
3377 posts
Oct 23, 2017
2:40 AM
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It's seems to be just as difficult as that 10 hole overdraw.
I can achieve it by opening the throat and moving the target spot pretty far back - feels like I'm trying to open my throat to swallow an egg.
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The Iceman
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RyanMortos
1654 posts
Oct 23, 2017
5:49 AM
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I have two customized (by professionals) harmonicas (key of C & key of A) both of which I can hit all overblows and overdraws. I don't think I can hit the 1ob on any of my out of the box harmonicas or on any of the ones I attempted to gap myself. I think the take away is to bring home at least one professionally set up diatonic harmonica for overblows & overdraws, practice playing chromatically up and down and different patterns all the notes daily, if you want start gapping your out of the box diatonic harmonicas so you can hit them with similar attack.
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~Ryan
See My Profile for contact info, etc.
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Martin
1314 posts
Oct 23, 2017
6:46 AM
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On a few D harps, and one A, all OOTB, I´ve managed relatively satisfying OB´s.
OD´s though, that´s often a tougher nut.
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Tom585
57 posts
Oct 24, 2017
1:41 PM
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I think I'll try to set up the first hole on a high pitched harp, such an as F, to see if that is easier. I would think it would be.
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Bike&Harp
132 posts
Oct 24, 2017
1:57 PM
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Tom585 It is mate a lot easier trust me. The C harp and lower has more weight in the tip of the reed and it's much harder to maintain the choke on the blow reed. I asked Tinus about it and that's what he said. I set my F harp up and it didn't take much effort to get the #1 OB. I then, encouraged by my success, went back and tried to get it consistently on my C; no good i just can't get it. I can grab the OB on my F and use it in my music. No way i've ever been able to do that on a C or lower harp. The high pitched harps just seem to make that particular OB a lot easier to get and use consistently.
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Andrew
1702 posts
Oct 25, 2017
3:08 AM
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If you've never had a harp that OBs on 1-3, there is a pay-off. I had one harp that I had gapped to OB from 1-6, but then you have to relearn how to play every blow note without overblowing, and I couldn't be bothered, so I opened the gaps up again.
Maybe it also depends on the harp. Part of the fun of OBs is bending them, and the Marine Band isn't good at that, whereas the Golden Melody is excellent. Maybe a good solution is to have MBs OOTB and GMs gapped to OB and OD everywhere.
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Andrew.
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Last Edited by Andrew on Oct 25, 2017 3:17 AM
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LevelUp
44 posts
Oct 25, 2017
5:11 AM
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I used to use it all the time, now I only use it as a passing note to get to the low 6 from low 5. I used to use it to play the minor 3rd when playing 1st position...but I stopped doing that because I didn’t love the sound and it took focus away from other aspect of the music.
It is easier and sounds better on higher harps.
Lately i’ve Been playing valved, you can get the note via blow bend. Also, you can get a funny little sound that passes as a 1ob passing tone by miming OB technique.
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Buzadero
1311 posts
Oct 25, 2017
10:33 AM
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Here's a self-deprecating shot in the foot anecdote for y'all:
A few years back I was at the home of the late Buddha Michalek. I had a couple of solid whiskies under my belt (so there's a revealing key element).
Chris had just worked over one of my harps and I was running through it for feel and action. Overblowed and bent through several holes. Booty (in his typical and usual sanctimonious manner) threw out the casual OB on Hole 1 comment.
My response was to smirk a bit and more or less dismiss it.
He pushed. Chris? No. Yup, he pushed.
I handed it to him and he took a big ole inhale and set that reed to one solid sustained OB. He looked like Dizzy Gillespie with a grapefruit in his throat. He just sat there and let the air slowly out of the balloon and held it. Gave me the condescending smirk that on anyone else I would have smacked off his face, and handed it back to me.
Wait. Is that a gauntlet on the ground?
So, I set my jaw and gave it my shot. Bound and determined to stare that fat bastard straight in the eye and deliver, I after a couple of attempts I caught it right. I'd never gave it much more than a passing half-assed attempt before. But this time it took. Nice gapping, Buddha.
I've been a big-game spearfisherman my whole adult life. I practice lung power and breath control. I exercise my lungs with specific focus. I'm proud of my control.
I held it as long as I could. Well past where I should have let it go. Twinkle twinkle little stars.
By all rights it should have been me that had the aneurysm right then and there.
I still miss that guy.
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
MBH poseur since 11Nov2008
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Honkin On Bobo
1485 posts
Oct 25, 2017
2:07 PM
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Didn't know Buddha personally, but that story should have been front and center at wherever those who knew and loved him went, to down a few drinks after the service. Well done Buzz.
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