[Harp-L] some thoughts on overblowing, technique

["Bret Littlehales" <blittlehales@xxxxxxxxx>]

How did overblowing become so controversial? Either you do it or you
don't. Either you hear the need for the notes, or you don't. Cool if
you learn 'em, okay if you don't, even okay if you can't. Let's face
it, some people have the ability, some don't. I've never tried
overblows since Huey Lewis and I were in Cornell together in 1969 and
he tried to show me the six hole blow bend. I couldn't do it then, and
didn't even hear of the technique again until Howard Levy came along.

I've always been able to bend notes easily- it's just how my mouth is
formed. However, I've never been able to fluidly do the sideways
tongue warble that Little Walter pioneered. I love this warble, it
kills me not to be able to do it, but most people don't even notice or
care. When I listened to Jason Ricci's torrent (thanks, Gary), I
noticed he can't do that sideways warble either (or doesn't care to
use it). He subs in the in/ out tongue trill instead. But he does have
the OB's and a good blueprint as to how they apply to the blues.

So, I'm still working on that sideways trill- I haven't given up. Same
w/ the OB's- but I don't feel that my playing is in any way diminished
because I'm not using those tools onstage. I just like those
techniques and want to use them.

I notice that alternative tunings are not discussed much as opposed to
the overblows. I think I mentioned that Pierre Beauregard played
Tunisia once time on my message machine. I asked him about it
yesterday, and he said he used a retuned harp he calls the Arab Band
(all the Magic harps have names). Even if Magic tunings are hard to
come by, perhaps someone like Brendan Power or Pat Missin have tunings
that may match Pierre's.

I first found the idea of these tunings intimidating, but once I
actually began playing some of them, I realized how instinctual they
were. Plus, the notes are full-bodied. I can hear every time someone,
even Levy, uses an overblow- same with bends. The alternate tunings
eliminate some of this. By the way, on Magic harps, every note draw-
bends.

Technique can be threatening, especially if you can't do it. But it's
not a way of life or a holy cause- just another tool in our toolchest.

Bret