|
Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Overbends are more
Overbends are more
Page:
1
J-Sin
98 posts
Jun 18, 2012
6:33 AM
|
Sometimes when I'm playing Arabian-style 7th or 8th position, or something else with mostly bent and overbent notes, I feel that the NATURAL notes sound weird all the sudden. You got this intense microtonal fabric of sound going on, and all the sudden a note pops out that in the context sounds more like a toy accordion (that is, a harmonica).
The great Joe Pass has an instructional video where he advices jazz guitarists to avoid playing too much open strings, because "you will put your audience to sleep with those". I guess he's referring to too much harmonics and sustain.
I have similar thoughts about the harp. But it can work both ways: Sometimes overblows just sound strange in a folk song with mostly natural notes. It's not always about the player's skill, harp or perfect pitch. The air pressure is just different. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'd say harmonics in overbends are not as audible as in natural notes?
Granted it's important to achieve a level where everything sounds just perfect whatever notes you play, sometimes I feel that for some musical styles it sounds best when you "play the course you're on", be it mostly ob's or almost none.
Any thoughts?
----------
Reed To The Beat!
|
harpdude61
1434 posts
Jun 18, 2012
7:03 AM
|
I think I understand what you are saying and I agree, but we need to clarify some definitions.
I have heard ther phrase overbend used in more than one context. This is how I see it and I may be wrong.
We have blow notes and draw notes..accordingly we have blow bends and draw bends.
We have overblows and overdraws which I consider to be the two members of the overbend family . We can also bend these which I consider bent overbends...bent OBs and bent ODs.
I remember Alex Paclin using 5 ob bent up 1/2 step in 2nd position instead of 6 blow. Played correctly it is a beter than 6 blow in certain spots. You can bend, waver, and vary pitch much better than on 6 blow and it does have a different tone and timbre.
|
Post a Message
|
