Re: [Harp-L] overblow-tongueblock combination

[Richard Lister <ric@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ludo Beckers <ludobeckers@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote
on Wed, 13 Apr 2005 11:54:13 +0100 (BST):
>
> Subject: [Harp-L] overblow-tongueblock combination 
>
> 
> Here's an attempt to revive the thread: Is there any other advise
> then "keep on trying"?

Yeah ...

Can you play the OB in question with pucker? If so, you may be
using your tongue to initiate it. You've got to get it done with
your throat instead.

I found I could get my first OB by *slowly* moving my tongue
upward (and maybe forward a little too) from the bottom to the
roof of my mouth. At a certain point the OB kicked in, that's the
point where you've hit the right resonance. Now, try to achieve
the same feeling without the tongue moving ... your throat should
move instead: if I stick my hand under my throat I feel my adam's
apple jump up.


Even if you can do the pucker OB without help, go back to the old
trick of taking the covers off and stopping the blow reed. This
will help you find the resonance needed for the draw reed using
just your throat. Then you can worry about the choke phase later.


Use a tuner. Sometimes you're blowing away with the blow reed choked
but can't get the draw reed to sound. It seems like there's silence,
but I've found a tuner can show a very faint overtone at the
frequency you're trying to get. This kind of feedback can let you
know when you're close. The throat movement required is very subtle
and it helps to have a guide to zone in on it.


Good luck.
Ric