Re: [Harp-L] What am I doing?

[Larry Marks <larry.marks@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

michael rubin wrote:
> Tom,
> Get with your non valved harps and check the pitch of your new note
> with a tuner.  If you are on a C harp, is the 4 "overblow/bend" an Eb?
>   Is the 5 overblow/bend an F#?  If so, you are overblowing.
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com
>    
Tom,

It is impossible to overblow a valved harp. You are doing valve-assisted 
bends, and that's what the instrument is for. You can't overblow a 
valved harp because when you are blowing, the valve closes off the draw 
reed. When overblowing, it is the draw reed that sounds, so the presence 
of the valve means that Howard himself couldn't overblow.

The two types of harps are mutually exclusive. You can't blow bend (1-6, 
draw bend 7 - 10) an unvalved harp and you can't overbend a valved harp.

I play these harps, and I like them. It does take some work to make the 
valve-assisted bends sound natural, but it is something you will 
eventually get used to. After all, any player worth hir salt adjusts the 
oral cavity to optimize every note. I also overblow and have some great 
harps for that purpose, but I keep coming back to my valved harps, I 
guess because that's where I started.

I predict that once you are really comfortable, you will love these 
harps. There is one note that you can get on a valved harp that in my 
opinion sounds better than the overblow version of the note. That is the 
7 draw bend (6 OB) where you can get a screamy minor third that is so 
useful in jazz and blues.


Have fun,

  -LM