I like playing wide-bending X-Reed harmonicas, for their unsurpassed expressiveness. The best-known of this type of harp is the Hohner XB-40 (now sadly discontinued). Part of the reason it didn’t catch on was because players found it difficult to get the ‘in-between’ notes: the chromatic notes from shallow semitone bends in between the big full-tone-or-more bends that are on all the reeds. Though I love playing the XB-40 diatonically, I find it tough playing chromatically on it too!
My all-draw AsiaBend is another X-Reed harp that is intended for soulful diatonic playing, with wide bends on all the scale notes. On the original model, it was possible to get the chromatic notes with overblows – as I showed in a video some time ago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TdkBflwKPg
But I still found this a bit unsatisfactory, because the pitch and tone of the overblows can be variable. I’ve been looking for a better way, and think I’ve found it. It’s demonstrated on a retuned Kongsheng Lyra chromatic in this video:
I am somewhat amused to hear you say that you “can’t get your mind around playing overblows”. I know it is a little bit of a philosophical thing with you – Overblows vs. Alternate tunings or X-Reed harps – and I respect that. Nor am I interested sparking a debate about the two approaches either. I am amused because you have mastered so many different tunings – Standard Richter, Power Bender, Power Draw, Paddy Richter, Asia Bend, not to mention the standard chromatic harmonica and all the customization options available on the LEKHOLD DM48. I don’t think anyone in the world comes close to your mastery of so many different tunings. So, what’s one more – overblows?
Great video as usual Brendan. You never cease to amaze. Bravo.
