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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Adjusting reeds for LP OBs vs. TB OBs
Adjusting reeds for LP OBs vs. TB OBs
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LevelUp
23 posts
Sep 09, 2017
12:52 PM
So I'm going back and beefing up my TB skills. I've always adjusted my own reeds so that 4, 5 and 6 OB were easy to hold on to and bend, and 1 OB as a passing tone. 7 OD on occasion but I don't rely on it.

My lick rep is heavily reliant on the 4 OB (passing tone up to 5 blow), I use that as a pivot the way many harp players use 4 draw down a half step.

So TB OB on 4 isn't hard for me, but 5 and 6 are harder. It is consistent enough across my harps that I think it is in part how I adjust the reeds that cause this.

So, my question is: how would you set up an OB differently for a TB player?

Of course I know the answer is "depends on how hard they blow," but I'd like to think theres some knowledge out there on the topic.
arzajac
1840 posts
Sep 09, 2017
2:10 PM
This is something we could demystify at our upcoming workshop...

Common things are common - before we rule out harp setup, are you putting the harp far enough into your mouth? Would you be "spitting out" the harp a little on the higher overblows to help you get the proper size of resonance chamber in your mouth?

If you are, you will always have trouble getting the OB to play since the blow reed will not want to stand still.

Also (I'm sure you are aware but I should mention it anyway) you need to use/relax a different group of muscles to play an OB Tongue blocked compared to Pucker and it may be that lower TB OBs are more similar to Pucker OBs for you.



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