RE: [Harp-L] Overblowing Hoopla

"Meagher, Evan F" <evan.f.Meagher@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> · Wed, 24 Nov 2004 12:48:30 -0500

Well, to me it's pretty simple.  Playing the licks I hear in my head is hard enough already, I don't need to make it even harder by restricting myself to half the notes, or 2/3 of the notes.  I want all the notes. So I overblow. And occasionally overdraw. 

I want the best of both worlds- the blow and draw bending effects and tone of the diatonic with the chromaticity of the chromatic.  I want that extra octave with a flat third in cross harp by overblowing the 6 hole, and I want the major 7th in cross, and I want the minor 6th, which is also the flat third in first position.  I want the major third in third position so I can play Thunky Fing by Adam Gussow, and Caravan by Duke Ellington, and hell, the Godfather theme.  

Obviously, there are thousands of records with good overblows on them.  If you're looking for material that will justify its use, I'd suggest any of Satan & Adam's records.  Hard-driving, balls-to-the-walls blues with a harmonica player pushing his instrument in groundbreaking directions, and sounding damn good doing it.  Overblows everywhere.  

As to whether we need this... I guess you could make the case we don't *need* any once-novel artistic technique, from slow motion in films to amplification for guitars.  But, for example, Thunky Fing, which needs an overblow or two, wouldn't have been recorded without overblows.  And as with any good piece of art, the world would be a poorer place without the existence of that beautiful song.  

Obviously, *you* don't need it, and that's great.  Play however you want, whenever you want.  I'd be willing to bet dollars to donuts that you sound better than me these days.  But I'm going to keep overblowing, not because I need to feel "cutting edge" but because it lets me play what I want to play.  To me, it has staying power, it's an improvement, and yes, it sells sheets. 

Just my two cents. 

Evan 

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Joe and Cass Leone
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2004 9:23 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Overblowing Hoopla

On Nov 24, 2004, at 9:10 AM, Vince Curcuru wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> I know I am going to get trod upon for saying this but truthfully, I 
> don't
> know what all the hoopla is about with overblowing??

  (personally) I think it is used as a bench-mark. IF one can do it, 
this means they are farther up the food chain. IF they can do it 
well/smoothly, then they have "arrived". I see this in almost every 
hobby or sport I have tried. As you get more involved, you notice some 
people are working on ( I hate to call it advanced) stuff that is 
"avant-garde". Eventually, we start to see more and more special, 
custom or expensive gear being used. We reach a point where the hobby 
has been priced beyond our means.

  This is one of the reasons why I don't understand those who "blow-up" 
harps left and right. I think I still have every tool I have ever 
owned. How DOES one break a harp? I can understand wearing one out from 
age, but blowing out reeds seems extreme. I wouldn't want someone to 
operate on me with those kinds of work habits. As far as the 
over-blowing thingie, it's like an eye surgeon comes up with a 
different method for doing cataracts. Everyone jumps on the bandwagon, 
and before long everyone is doing it. Why? because it's the NEW thing 
and everyone wants to be a part of it. BUT, does it have "staying" 
power &/or IS it an improvement?

There's an old axiom in the music business that goes something like 
this: "YEAH, BUT WILL IT SELL SHEETS"?
What they're referring to here is the ability of a 
tune/musician/method/singer to be of lasting quality as the sale of 
music was what kept the business going. Fads came & went, but SHEETS 
were the important thing. I think over-blowing WILL last and prosper, 
and I see it being used more and more as time goes on. It will always 
have a following.

  To me it has always been a matter to time. And since time IS money, 
it's also a matter of money. I recall when Jimmy Smith came on the 
scene and was universally acclaimed the best B3 player yet. This is 
because he spent a year practicing JUST the pedals. People don't 
realize there's a whole n'other organ down there. He rented a 
warehouse, and moved in there for a year. Obviously he was able to 
SUPPORT himself for that year. Most people don't have that luxury.
  If you're lucky enough to live in a location where you can walk a 
bridge at night and practice your scales without bothering your 
neighbors enough to shoot you out of your apartment window, then THIS 
is a plus. If you happen to have a dentist father who supports your 
trumpet playing so you don't have to go get a REAL job, THIS is a plus.

  What I'm saying is that many talented people didn't make it because 
the cards were stacked against them. If a person is going to college 
and doesn't have to spend every spare minute at a part time job, this 
frees up some time to play harp. Some students live on macaroni & 
cheese, Ramen soup, and spaghetti-ohs. Some don't.
>
> Yeah it may be possible to get all the notes in the chromatic scale 
> from a
> diatonic harp using this technique, but do we need this?

  No, but some people just HAVE to have it. It's like rock climbing. 
Some people LOVE it, Me? I think it sucks. Some folks like to ride over 
waterfalls in a kayak, ME? I'll pass. Bungee jumping? Get serious. Sky 
diving? Naah, not THIS year. Some people don't want to miss anything. 
We have had it drummed into our heads "Life's too Short", and so some 
like to live it to the fullest. I never gave it much thought and just 
live day to day. Risking my life every day never occurred to me, as I 
was already doing it.

>   Isn't this why
> there are chromatic harps??  Is it worth all the harp customizing and 
> work
> involved in perfecting this technique??

  Can't speak for others, but many yrs ago I wanted to play a particular 
kind of music, couldn't do it on a diatonic, and so ADDED chromatic. 
It's not that you can't do a lot of amazing stuff on diatonic, it just 
take a LOT more time/expertise.
>
> I am not criticizing people that do this and I am sure Howard Levy and
> company are geniuses and  like Benjamin Franklin's of the harp but IMO 
> the
> beauty of the diatonic is the diversification obtained by switching 
> harps
> and getting the tonal changes and playing nuances associated with the
> different keys.

  Yes, some of these guys are amazing, tis' a pity some of their 
MATERIAL is lame. Nothing worse that listening to a fantastic player, 
trying to appreciate what he is doing, with a (basically) crappy tune. 
Being a great player isn't everything, sometimes the material matters.

>   Of course I am primarily a blues player not a jazz player
> so that is where I am coming from.

  I play all sorts of stuff, some is diatonic friendly, some isn't. Some 
is chromatic friendly, some isn't. Hell, some music is down right 
HOSTILE to harmonica. Some shouldn't be attempted...and THAT's why some 
one WILL do it.
>
> Anyway, should make for an interesting thread.  LOL

  I agree, for those brave enough to get involved, as it's like putting 
your face where the #1 bowling pin was.
smoley-joe
>
> Harlyblu
> Ó¿Õ¬
>   \!!/
>
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