Levy, overblows & passing notes

[JOHN THADEN <JJTHADEN@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In discussing VALVES VS OVERBLOWING on Mar 23, Winston Yerxa wrote:

>Mike Curtis writes:
>> . . . overblows . . . Howard Levy, in his video, states that some are
>> usable only as passing tones. . . .

>Howard is wrong about the passing tones. That's the limitation of
>Howard's individual overblow technique, which - dare I say it -
>is only middling (it's only one small part of a package of
>musical abilities which, in aggregate, are quite amazing). I'm
>far from being the best overblower in the world, but I've played
>a sustained overblow for Howard and favorably surprised him with
>it. I have noticed that he hits his overblows timidly and jumps
>away from them quickly. . . .

I've not seen the video, but I've heard Howard live about 5 times and traded
licks after one of his shows.  I don't think he is timid with his overblows,
and I've heard him sustain them.  Apparently, he said SOME are usable only as
passing tones.  I've found that to be true of overblow hole 1 on most harps,
and of the overdraws on some harps.  We all know Mike Curtis is a missionary
for valves, and overblows are definitely better-behaved than he may like one
to believe, but lets be honest.  Some of the overtones can be unreliable on
some harps. On the other hand, I've seen Mike admit as much about some valved
bends, e.g. hole 10.  My stance?  I overblow, but I'm waiting and hoping for
the maturing of our little instrument.  Before the Boehm system, flutes were
a misbehavin' instrument too.   --John Thaden  jjthaden@xxxxxxxxxxxxx