Re: [Harp-L] overblow begginner question

[Richard Lister <ric@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

drori hammer <drori_hammer@xxxxxxxxx> wrote
on Thu, 28 Apr 2005 01:31:24 -0700 (PDT):
>
> Subject: [Harp-L] overblow begginner question
>
> My question is : is it absolutely neccessary to have your harp
> specifically "set up" for overblowing, or can I use my regular harps
> . What I am trying to understand is if it`s just my technique that`s
> wrong or if I need to alter my harps. ( I might add that I am
> clueless as to all matters of tweaking and repairing harps)


Good question. Really hits on one of the major problems in learning
to overblow.

Out of the box harps are a crapshoot. Sometimes they happen to be
gapped beautifully, sometimes not. But here's the catch 22: when
you're learning to OB, is your failure due to you or the harp? You
have no way of knowing.

So what can you do?

1. Buy a custom harp set up for overblows. That way you know it's
your fault and not the harp :-)

2. Set up a harp yourself. It's actually not that hard. The main
thing is to get the gaps on the reeds as low as you can without
them choking on a normal blow or draw. Bear in mind, you may have to
adapt your normal technique to be gentler, so those close-gapped
reeds don't choke.

3. Block the blow reed. I think this is the best way to get going
on overblows. Take off the top cover, block the 6 blow with your
finger, and try to get the overblow to sound. If the 6-draw reed
is gapped reasonably OK you'll eventually get it. Now you just have
to learn how to choke the blow without your finger :-)


In general, Hohner hand-made harps are your best bet, but you can
still get bad ones.

Lee Oskars and Suzukis will need turbo-tape to OB properly, so
steer clear of those while you're learning.


Cheers
Ric