CarlA
398 posts
Nov 23, 2013
9:41 AM
|
I used to think overblows were overrated, and not a useful tool in the arsenal of a harp player. Since focusing my playing using overblows, I can now no longer imagine playing without them. The 5 and 6 overblows are king! The musical dimensions and expressive possibilities, including building killer speed using triplets, etc are much more simplified using overblows IMHO.
The only drawback is that now I get real frustrated with OTB harps that don't overblow, although I can easily overblow on most models, but some really need to be "forced" to OB.
I guess I need to learn how to properly gap, etc or I will have to spend a bunch $ to get them customized-lol
|
harpdude61
1897 posts
Nov 23, 2013
12:39 PM
|
Welcome to the club CarlA! I get by just fine by learning to gap. Adam taught me at jam camp 4 years ago. Some of these guys will scoff but I use a blunt tooth pick, lay my left hand steady on a table holding the harp, and a good desk type spot light. I never remove the reed plates from the combs. Just take the covers off. I adjust from inside or outside the holes pushing very steady and carefully in the center of the reed.
I bought a new stock Golden Melody in E last week. Only the 4 would OB and it was tough. Within 5 minutes I had the 1,4,5,6 overblowing with ease as well as the 7,9,10 overdraw.
I have a set of 6 customs I gig with and they are great, but my gapped harps I did myself are not too far behind.
A proper OB should take no more effort than a draw bend. Learn to gap for now and see where it takes you.
Last Edited by harpdude61 on Nov 23, 2013 5:09 PM
|
Barley Nectar
194 posts
Nov 24, 2013
7:08 AM
|
I never tried an overblow. Didn't even know they existed till recently. Just watched Adams video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6-vxWmDzFA
Got the 7 OB on the first try...
Thanks Adam...BN AKA Goose
|
Frank
3372 posts
Nov 24, 2013
9:04 AM
|
is it to late in the game?... to change the names to
overexhale and overinhale :)
|
arzajac
1210 posts
Nov 24, 2013
10:13 AM
|
How about "BonusBlows" and "BonusDraws"?
----------
Custom overblow harps. Harmonica service and repair.
Last Edited by arzajac on Nov 24, 2013 10:13 AM
|
harpdude61
1901 posts
Nov 24, 2013
10:41 AM
|
Nectar, I hate to mention it but the 7 does not overblow. You may have been getting a blow bend.
|
CarlA
399 posts
Nov 25, 2013
4:29 PM
|
@harpdude
Thanks for the response! I think I will try to practice gaping some older harps, as I am kinda scared to mess up my new harps-lol
|
harpwrench
733 posts
Nov 25, 2013
6:15 PM
|
I put 3 vids on youtube a few years ago that might help. Nothing fancy including my hick accent but they don't cost much:)
|
Eyeball_Kid
15 posts
Nov 26, 2013
12:48 AM
|
Hey, harpwrench, i think this was the Video that got me to adjust my harp and to finally overblow it a few months ago. It took another few videos but this was my "Aha"-moment because I didn't know that you could adjust the reeds to make it better playable.
Thanks, man!
|
SuperBee
1552 posts
Nov 26, 2013
1:02 AM
|
ive been repairing a few harps; a friend asked me if i could set one up for them to learn to OB with.
well, i dont OB myself so it was a bit of an ask...but last night i read this thread and decided to have a go...found a suitable sp20 that would OB the 6 if i blocked the blow reed.
so i closed up the blow reed to a point where it was still well-playable but not really wider than it needs be and voila! i can OB for the first time.
oh, ive managed very brief blips before, but this time i can hold it there as long as i can exhale...kinda...controlling the pitch is still... interesting...
anyway, thanks for the inspiration...maybe i can help my friend out after all. at least i have the beginning of an idea how to do it
----------
JellyShakersFacebookPage
JellyShakersTipJar
|
MindTheGap
69 posts
Nov 27, 2013
1:13 AM
|
Re Bending Overbends, apparently here is what you are aiming at (good grief)...
Here is the original article
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Nov 27, 2013 1:15 AM
|
Frank
3398 posts
Nov 27, 2013
6:15 PM
|
At this time the fashion is to bring something to jazz that I reject. They speak of freedom. But one has no right, under pretext of freeing yourself, to be illogical and incoherent by getting rid of structure and simply piling a lot of notes one on top of the other. There’s no beat anymore. You can’t keep time with your foot. There’s a new idea that consists in destroying everything and find what’s shocking and unexpected; whereas jazz must first of all tell a story that anyone can understand.
Thelonious Sphere Monk
Last Edited by Frank on Nov 27, 2013 6:16 PM
|
tmf714
2213 posts
Nov 27, 2013
6:17 PM
|
I don’t conside myself a musician who has achieved perfection and can’t develop any further. But I compose my pieces with a formula that I created myself. Take a musician like John Coltrane. He is a perfect musician, who can give expression to all the possibilities of his instrument. But he seems to have difficulty expressing original ideas on it. That is why he keeps looking for ideas in exotic places. At least I don’t have that problem, because, like I say, I find my inspiration in myself.
Thelonious Monk
Last Edited by tmf714 on Nov 27, 2013 6:17 PM
|
SteamrollinStan
91 posts
Nov 28, 2013
2:29 AM
|
I used to overblow when i was around 17-20 yo, not really worried now, just hang around the easy holes to keep it simple.
|
CarlA
401 posts
Nov 28, 2013
5:06 AM
|
@steamrollin
I don't understand, once you learn the OB, they are as easy to play as a four draw bend??
|
