Re: [Harp-L] Terminology: overblow, overdraw, overbend, blow-bend

[philharpn@xxxxxxx]

The HarmoTab page shows harp tablature/notation for a line of blow notes on a D major harp at the top of the page. It does not define symbols but appears to show a blow 6 as D and a circled blow 6 as G# (aka Ab) which would make the rendering a bent note (G to Ab/G# is a half=step lower, thus bend). Unless  you are playing a harmonica with helper reeds (XB40, SUB30) there is no way to blow bend hole six to a lower pitch. A draw bend on hole 6 would bend half a step to Bb.


So the tab in the illustration is wrong.



The diagram below showing the layout of the harmonica is also mislabeled. What are labeled "half overblow" and "full overblow" are actually blow bends. The draw reeds are labeled correctly at "half bend" and "full bend" on the harmonica described as a 10-hole in the key of D "Diatonique Richter Standart" which is French for Diatonic Richter Standard (tuning).


The graphics are poor quality (low resolution) and they get even fuzzier when I enlarge them on my 27-inch iMac monitor.


Now a half-valved 10-hole richter harp would produce a blow bend on hole 6 and to my way of thinking is  a lot easier to execute (and closer to pitch). Half-valved means holes 1-6 have valves (windsavers) on draw reeds allows blow bends on 1-6. Blow reeds 7-10 have valves allowing draw bends on those holes. All reeds are half-valved so the timbre is constant; otherwise the unvalved reeds would sound a little different than the valved ones.


Other than the mislabeling, the program looks interesting. However, the Mac version requires the JRE Java Runtime Environment on your system for manual installation. Has anybody installed HarmoTab 3.1 on a snow leopard Mac? The download for a PC requires no prep.


Hope this helps,
Phil Lloyd
























 









________________________________
 From: Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: harp-L list <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx> 
Sent: Sunday, March 31, 2013 4:27 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Terminology: overblow, overdraw, overbend, blow-bend
 
Can anyone link me to the briefest, definitive definitions?

draw bend
overdraw
blow bend
overblow
overbend

Just when I think I've got it, I read something that doesn't match my
understanding. (sigh)

Does this site: http://www.harmotab.com/?action=soft use overblow
accurately?

Robert Hale
Spiral Advocate
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