You know I don't OB, but I do play multiple positions, some of which require reasonable accuracy on certain low end draw bends. I don't wish to appear judgmental, but I've always been amused by those players who constantly obsess about playing OBs, but who talk about how difficult the 3 hole draw bends are if there is a discussion about playing a passage that requires those bends, or playing in 4th position where you have to drop 3 draw a whole step for root in the lower register. It seems to me that being able to hit the available draw bends is more fundamental to good basic harmonica technique than being able to OB (although I recognize that Buddha and some others will probably disagree).
Anyway, IMHO, the most difficult draw bend to hit with consistent precision is the 3 hole half step bend. I think it's much easier to drop 3 draw a whole step (or a step and a half) or to hit a "blue third" quarter tone than it is to hit the half step accurately. But, of course, YMMV.
hvyj...Overblows are pretty close to pitch once you learn to use them..just scoop up a little. Learning to play the blues scale (3rd positiion) on pitch in the first octave was harder to get right for me using the 1 step bend and the 1 1/2 step bend.
I totally agrree that 1/2 step bend on hole 3 is the hardes note to hit on pitch.
Last Edited by on Oct 27, 2010 9:17 AM
Everytime I watch this guy I get totally blown away by his technique. 4 notes on a single hole, wow, he's a really amazing harp player. I think that's why when I want to use an example of a really High End harp player I always say Jason Ricci. No disrespect to Adam,Chris or Lee, they're also really great harp players in their own right.
Frank, Jason pay's a lot of respect to Pat Ramsey and you will hear why when you listen to him singing this song after Katrina. Listen out for the absolutely killer solo on harmonica, very moving
He passed away a year or so ago but there are some great clips of him and his band The Blues Disciples on YT
Last Edited by on Oct 27, 2010 10:51 AM
I went to see Howard Levy the other night, and he held a master-class beforehand. I asked him a question about theory, and he stressed the importance of being able to play all 7 modes on the harp, and demonstrated them...with perfection. I replied, 'yes, but i can't overblow yet...', to which he replied 'i didn't use a single overblow!'. Jason mentions the same thing in the video you posted. The sounds he was producing from the harp were so chromatic..and yet there were no OB's used. I pulled out my C harp and tried some of the exercises in Jason's video, and realised how much work i have to do.
I found this great explanation of modes for the harp - http://thebluesicians.com/wsa2mode.htm
i'm going to focus for a while on getting these bends down, and learning the modes. Overblows will come when I need them...for the time being, i have a lot of catching up to do
That Pat Ramsey solo has got some very subtle tongue-blocked octave playing in it (1+4 hole blow). ---------- Andrew, gentleman of leisure, noodler extraordinaire.
Last Edited by on Oct 29, 2010 9:50 AM
