RE: [Harp-L] Tongue Block Overblow Challenge

[Blunt White <playharp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have no problems with TB OB (I also tongue block 100% of time).  Gapping should be close.  To learn, start with a high key harp (E or higher) on hole 6.  To get the feel of what you are trying to accomplish take the covers off and put your finger on the blow reed slot to silence it.  The air stream will then have to go out the draw reed slot which should sound.  This is what OB'ing is all about.  

 

Moving on (without holding the blow reed) experiment with the initial pressure which is a very short acceleration of pressure to close the blow reed and fool the draw reed into vibrating in the direction it isn't used to vibrating in.  The rear part of the tougue comes up to make your mouth cavity just a little bit smaller.

 

Regards, Blunt
 
> Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 11:04:43 -0700
> From: johnnyharp@xxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] Tongue Block Overblow Challenge
> 
> Can anyone on HarpL comfortably/reliably overblow using a left side tongue
> block (play the hole to the right of the tongue; no U-blocking allowed)?
> When searching the archives, I didn't find this definitively asked nor
> answered.
> 
> 
> If so, for a long-time tongue blocker (who has never been able to whistle
> with a pucker!), how hard is it to learn compared to attempting to re-learn
> to play puckered and then learning to overblow?
> 
> 
> If you can TB overblow, what are the specifics? i.e. harp key(s), hole
> number(s), how the heck do you do it? :-), etc.
> 
> 
> Do you set up the reeds the same as for puckered overblowing?
> 
> 
> Dennis Gruenling is reported to play entirely tongue blocked including
> overblows. To me, it appears in video that he plays with the harp at the
> right corner of his mouth and pressed, somewhat, against his right cheek.
> This presumably would help prevent air leakage by supporting the right
> corner of his mouth therefore allowing for sufficient air pressure.
> 
> 
> I've been searching the archives and see mentions of u-block overblowing.
> Ben Bouman, in a 2007 posting, alluded to being able to tongue block
> overblow and to teaching students the same. Comments Ben?
> 
> 
> Thanks everyone!
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