[Harp-L] Overblows,Half-valves etc.

["Rick Dempster" <rick.dempster@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Frustrated with my crummy customising, I have been messing about with a Special 20 with the covers removed, placing my fingers over the reeds I wanted to block. This makes the harp difficult to hold of course, but produces some interesting effects in a manner similar to the Suzuki Overdrive (of which I have one example)
What I soon grasped, was that as well as blocking, say, the blow 5 in order to blow draw 5 (ther 'overblow'- producing  a note a semitone higher than it's drawn pitch) I could also block draw 5 and blow bend blow 5, producing the equivalent of a half valved bend.
Then I realised I could do the same on the Overdrive, which I then proceeded to do.
This means that you can produce all the 'missing' notes in two different places, using two methods, on the one harp.
The Overdrive is a pretty good harmonica, though I never could be bothered with the 'fingers' business (may as well play a chrom)
However, the idea of having a hot-rod harp (no hood) and blocking reeds with the fingers is an interesting (not to sat cheap) method of producing both kinds of chromatic sounds, the so called overblow, and the half valved bend, with no customising.
Making the harp possible to hold while doing this is another matter however.
Anyone messed with this?
RD