Re: [Harp-L] Re: overblow begginner question

["Blake Taylor" <taylorb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ron, etc...

See, this is one of the reasons I'm so glad I found this list (Member
since December).  I'm in almost the exact same situation, so here's my 
long "Yeah, me too!" post....

I played harp in a vacuum from the time I was in high school in the late
'80s to about late 2003.  I started gigging in the early '90s and have
played pretty consistently, for fun money, since then.  However, when I
say I was in a vacuum I mean I only listened to the same handful of
players my whole life up until then - Butterfield, Cotton, Musselwhite,
SBII, Terry, Popper.   What's that you say?  No Walters? Yup. No
Walters. I had them both on a compilation cd, but since I didn't like
"Juke" particularly, I didn't pursue LW at all.   I know, I can hear a
collective groan.... I just wasn't that curious. I liked who I liked,
and I tried to emulate them in my playing while developing my own style.
 I thought pretty much about myself as a player......misguidedly.....and
even blues folks here in town reinforced this misguided notion.  

Just to make clear - I was totally self taught.  I knew nothing of
tongueblocking, effective mic cupping, or overblows. Wasn't even on my
radar. 

However, since joining Harptalk in '03, and then this list (per Jason
R's suggestion), I've discovered and incorporated all of these essential
things into my technique (I still only dare use OB6 in a live setting),
and I'm almost embarassed about my playing on my recordings and on my
website, as it all predates all the above skills.

I'm still self taught, with the exception of Mr. Levy's intimidating
"New Directions" tape and the "Chromatic for Diatonic" Mel Bay
instructional.   So I guess my next step is to get some personal
guidance. With 3 jobs and 2 small kids, I'm not traveling to any
seminars / conferences any time soon. However, I will continue to pick
the brains of the touring pros (like the ever-gracious Mr. Ricci).   The
other next step is really finding the time to experiment with harp
regapping, etc.   

Anyway, thanks harp-l for helping to reinstill in me a more humble
student mentality. It's made me a better player.

 -Blake
http://46long.com


>>> <Divejob@xxxxxxx> 04/28/05 9:38 AM >>>
 
 
In a message dated 4/28/2005 4:57:12 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
<drori_hammer@xxxxxxxxx>writes:

Hi  -
I am a fairly experienced blues harp player and I am trying to teach 
myself 
to overblow, with the help of the various websites (if any one can 
suggest 
more of these-thanks!) - so far without great  results.


Hah!   You, my friend, are exactly in the position I was in until very 
recently.   I tried to both ignore and understand the overblow concept
for about a  
year.  I finally succumbed to the siren song of more knowledge and
decided  I 
needed to figure out these much touted in- between notes.
I was unable  to do it myself.  But, that's me.  Your results may vary. 
I am 
a  marginal hack whose sole interest in these pesky little fistwhistle 
gizmos, is  to entertain myself.  But, if the note is in there, I want
to be able to 
 make it come out.  I tried.  I really did.  I used the archives,  the
Tinus 
site etc.  But, my mild retardation manifested itself distinctly  on
this 
challenge.
I  finally sat down with the esteemed Mr. Peloquin.  He was able to 
show me 
what mechanical tweaks were required to the harp, and get my pea-brain 
to 
understand the concept.  Then, the only challenge was making my jaw, 
tongue, 
lips and wind cooperate.  I finally got it.  This was about 2  weeks
ago.  It's 
now not the great intangible I had feared.  In fact,  I'm finding that,
as with 
most things in life, it was more in the build-up than  the execution.  
Alas, 
I am waxing pompous.  
My succinct  advice (have I passed that window?), is to track down
someone 
that can  physically demonstrate the sounds you seek right in front of
you.  It 
will  give you some memory to draw from until you grasp the concept. 
Also, 
take  the time to set up your harps per the recommendations.  The
tighter  
tolerances have been an unexpected bonus that  have helped the response
for  
playing in general.
Good  luck.

 
Ron in  Greenville


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