Re: overblows

[Pierre <slavio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Regarding overblows for Jim and other peope who would like to learn. I just
wanted to say that learning overblows these days is not as hard as it used
to be thanks to the Tinus and Howard Levy web sites. Also there are good
sites on how to adjust your harps (See G's site).

Before learning my first overblow my impression was that I would most likely
never learn overblow's/overdraw's as it was said to be 10 times more
difficult than bending and that if I wanted to learn these techniques I
would have to spend 10 hours a day practicing. Note that this was an
impression, I don't think anyone really said that, at least not in those
words. Anyways here is my recent experience with the 6 hole overblow:

I recently used a Bflat Special 20 harp to learn blow bends because I was
trying to learn La Cucaracca (Tom Ball's version). Once I figured out how to
control the blow bends on holes 8 and 9, it did not take me too much time to
learn how to overblow the 6 hole. I would say it took me about a month to
get  mediocre at it (2 or 3 hours of trying 5 minutes at a time and at least
2 hours getting the harp setup right). I think the main thing is to get the
setup right otherwise you can't hold the note, the note requires too much
effort or worse nothing happens. Since then another month has gone by and
now I can play a few licks with the overblow and it is getting pretty good
(i.e good as in usable).

I hope this encourages some people to give it a try

Pierre.



- ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Michalek" <chris@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 7:07 PM
Subject: re: overblows


>
> overblows can be done on any harp.  The LOs are tougher but can be
> made to work if you dab the tip of the reeds with nail polish.
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: chris@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: re: overblows
> Date: Wed, 17 Mar 2004 23:57:42 -0000
>
> >Chris
> >
> >Do I need a special set-up harp to play overblows? I usually use Lee
> >Oskars.Can I just buy a standard Special 20 or do I need to tweak it?
> >
> >Thanks in advance.
> >
> >Jim
> >
>
>
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