Overblows and Chromatic scale on the 10 hole

[Dick Anderson <anderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

As a recent graduate of the Howard Levy "Video school of Harmonica" let me
give some insights on Overblowing and playing a chromatic scale on the 10 hole
diatonic harp.  First some definitions:

Bending:  Bending always causes the tone of the note played to go DOWN.
Whether you are playing draw bends 1-6 (5 is not a full 1/2 step).  Or
playing the Blow bends 7-10.  (7 is not a full 1/2 step).  This simplifies
our communication if we use this convention.  It is almost universal.
Other explanations of "choking" or "swooping" or "sliding" are not as
universally understood as the term "Bending".

Overblowing:  Overblowing (Overdrawing) always causes the tone of the note
played to go UP.  Overblows can be had on holes 1-6 although the most
useful and generally practical overblows are 4-6.  Overdraws can be done on
holes 7-10 with the most practical ones being holes 7 and 9 since the 8
overdraw is the same as 9 draw (normal) and the 10 overdraw is 1/2 step
above the 10 blow (very high and difficult).

So to play an overblow first you must have a good single note and be able
to Bend the upper blow notes.  Now you move on down to let's say 6 blow and
do the same thing you would to bend the 9 blow.  Several things may happen.

1. The 6 blow note may stop.  (This is the beginning, Keep working at it,
not too much pressure, same embrochure as the 9 blow bend but expect the
note to "pop" up to a higher note.

2. Both the 6 blow and the 6 draw may begin to vibrate in dissonance. (Now
you've got the draw reed going.  It is the one that makes the overblow
sound, but now you've got to change the resonance of your mouth so that the
blow note stops sounding.  Changing the "action" of the reed will help)

3. Very high pitched screeching will commence.  Small dogs will cover their
ears in your neighborhood.  (You must be using a Lee Oskar or Huang harp.
Some Hohners also screech, but Howard Levy says, that the Golden Melody is
the best to avoid this.  He has tried them all.)

4. A distinct new note will be heard. (That's it!!! And when playing a C
harp, this note is Bb.  Wow!  What a "blue" note!  Great for short wails from
6 blow "G" to the 6 overblow "Bb".

5. If you can hold this overblow long and loud you are a better man than
me.  It is unstable to say the least and very susceptible to changes in
your air pressure and embrochure.  Even Howard doesn't stay on these notes
long.  The tone is not great, but it is a new note so what do you want :-)

6. The overdraw is even harder.  Just think "9 blow bend" and draw a little
harder while keeping the same "blow bend" embrochure.  The note will "pop"
up in tone.

To adjust the action of the reeds, just open your harp and push down so
that the clearance from the tip of the reed to the reed plate is just about
1 thickness of the reed.  Too much clearance and it is hard to get the
overblow.  Too little clearance and you will find that the normal blow is
slow to start or maybe doesn't start at all.

When you have mastered all this.  (wink), try this Chromatic scale.

B=Blow
D=Draw
DB=Draw Bent
BB=Blow Bent
OB=Over Blow
OD=Over Draw

C    C#    D      D#     E      F     F#      G      Ab     A     Bb    B   C
4B  4DB   4D     4OB    5B     5D    5OB     6B     6DB    6D    6OB   7D  7B

This can be done from 1-4 with draw bends and the 1 overblow.  But the 1
overblow is really hard to get.  (Even Howard can't sustain the note)

This can be done from 7-10 with blow bends and the 7 overdraw (C#) and
the 9 overdraw (Ab) but I have been having a tough time with these overdraws.

I hope you really wanted to know all this.

dick....

--

Dick Anderson  CCMO New Matls Engineering        Telnet                 229-3110
Hewlett Packard                                  Direct Dial      1-303-229-3110
3404 E Harmony Road                              HPDESK     dick_anderson@hp4000
Fort Collins Colorado 80525                      mail anderson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx