Re: If I could do it all over...

[PL500@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 7/21/03 8:49:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
wmharps@xxxxxxxxx writes:


> > So if I had to do it all over again I wish I had
> > started on overblows much earlier on the learning
> > curve. It is a technique that takes a lot of work to
> > master.  But a good start I think would greatly
> > increase the odds of success in this area. 
> 
> My two cents is "don't give up on yourself".  Just when you think 
> you've done all you can do, you'll surprise yourself!
> 
> -tim
> 

When I started on overblows after about a year of playing I tended to shy 
away from them. They would blow out of tune and I found them unreliable in 
facilitating them into my playing. Also I noticed that all the "missing" notes were 
only missing on the middle octave (Golly! the 3 draw has all these notes). I 
found that also alot of the missing notes tended to not fit into what I was 
trying to achieve anyway. I started using the overblows though, and found them as 
effective accents and ghost notes on solos. I still use overblows chiefly for 
ghost notes and accents. I find them to be best suited to my playing in that 
way. Remember overblows exist to assist our playing in a way we see fit, there 
is NO definitive rule concerning their use. Its a matter of taste, just use 
them wisely. Most of the time I hear Levy play on records and such, he is using 
bends and straight notes, instead of overblows and overdraws. I find that 
overblows are ok, but they have their place and it is up to the artist to use 
them wisely.

Andrew