[Harp-L] OB tips (was Marine Band surprise, and don't give up)

[Captron100@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 4/7/2007 4:34:35 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Dave Murray  
writes re Adam Gussow's YouTube lessons:
 
 he gave a technique for learning the overblow; draw 6, bent  draw 6, keep 
your mouth the same and reverse the wind to a blow. 
  
Dave, congrats on your OB progress.  I changed the subject for  archival 
purposes.  
  Good tip from Adam, as well as the reply from Gary re overblows  and 
overdraws - to take the harp apart, then cover the slot with your  finger.
  To clarify, the blow slot gets covered when hitting  the OB on a low note 
OB (holes 4, 5, and 6 are the most  useful).  The draw slot gets covered when 
hitting a high note  OD.  For an OD, try hole 7 draw, your first OD you'll need 
to play the  highest octave chromatic scale.  Of course the tip is for  
practice purposes only, but It makes overbends much easier for a beginner  to 
achieve.
   Stopping the blow reed from sounding is  also the proof that it's the draw 
reed that is making the sound when we  overblow.  Vice versa, it is the proof 
that it is the blow reed that is  making the sound when we OD.
  Imo, you should be able to OB SP20's as easily as MB's.  And  since SP20's 
are put together with screws instead of nails, when u screw  the covers back 
on, your harp will still be airtight as ever.
  Lastly, proper gapping helps immensely.  Adam's YouTube  lessons are 
interesting.  Another great resource is Rupert  Oysler's Harp Maintenance and Repair 
CD / DVD, the lastest version also covers  chromatics.  
  After obtaining Rupert's CD-ROM, i have made giant steps twds  improving my 
own harps, tho try as i might, i have never been able to equal  the results 
of a good customizer.  Not yet, anyway.  It takes a  lot of practice and 
experience to equal their  results.  
  Rupert was kind enuf to sell me a harp customized so i can play  the 3 
octaves chromatically, plus a stock harp so i could compare.  Even  after i do all 
my adjusting, the differences are infinitesimal but his  customized harp 
out-plays all my efforts.
ron




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