Re: Same Old Thing

["Tim Moyer - Working Man's Harps" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxx>]

Iceman wrote:
> Yes, you may find that close gap overblow friendly reeds choke 
> on the regular notes when going for velocity and volume. 
> 
> By self experimentation, you may find a happy medium. However, 
> the speed that is demanded of Irish tunes may be too fast to 
> incorporate many overblows played at pitch and seamlessly.

In my humble opinion, hitting an overbend "at speed" isn't any more
difficult than hitting a simple bend at speed.  For example, try playing
"Turkey in the Straw" on a regular Richter tuned diatonic.  There is a
phrase that requires a 2B 2D- 2D 3D-- 2D 2B 2D (or 2B 2D- 2D 3D-- 3B 2B
3B).  That 3D-- (the A on a C harp) is a bitch to hit as the tune speeds
up.  It can be done, but the faster you play it the harder it is to hit the
bend correctly.  Likewise, I recall a phrase in a improvised solo on the
Satan and Adam version of "Girl Watcher" that has a blow slide up from 3 to
6, the 6D 6Ob 6D.  That 6Ob is tough to stick, but probably easier than the
Turkey example.  

I'll agree that any music that is fast and loud places unique demands on
the instrument and the player -- particularly in situations where you are
competing acoustically with guitar, whistle, fiddle, drum -- which may make
it challenging to play an overbend-friendly harp.  But listen to Carlos Del
Junco play "Heddon Tadpolly Spook" and you'll have to be impressed with the
speed and fluidity of the overbending.  

- -tim

P.S. I love overbends, and use them all the time, whether they fit or not. ;-)