Re: [Harp-L] These overblow guys?

[JohnnieHarp <johnnieharp@xxxxxxxxx>]

John, a few additional thoughts come to mind... Not taking issue with
your comments but springboarding from them in hopes of expanding this
discussion AS IF it needs to / should be expanded?


>if I use overblows or a "pucker" type embouchure, it
>will be impossible for me to get a big fat tone without
>using a bank of effects?


Bottom-line, why should a player care what their acoustic tone is, IF
they play through electronics in any case, and end up with the desired
result through their customary rig? I doubt that tone is a contentious
discussion amongst UN-PLUGGED electric guitarists. What really matters
is what comes out of the amp. I say, BRING ON the electric harp. No
acoustic tonal wars plus won't need a bag of them in varying keys;
flip a switch. Easy custom tunings; push some buttons. Now THAT would
be great!

The “biggest/fattest” acoustic tones that I've “perceived” in any vids
belong to Christelle (any recent ones with usb condenser mic) and
Chris Michalek (Rock'in in the Rockies Mr. Magic vid from a few years
ago). Both are primarily “non-tongue blockers” I believe.

In Winslow's Dummies book, his instruction on non-tongue blocked
embouchure is to open wide and place the harp as far back in the
corners of the mouth as possible, with the mouth/lips relaxed ... then
begin to blow while lightly pushing the harp forward until the point
whereby a single note  is produced. This embouchure doesn't imply an
actual “puckering” nor does it imply a whistling position. As a tongue
blocker myself, I haven't found tongue blocking to yield any
“perceptible” tonal advantage over Winslow's approach, when I listen
to playbacks of what I've played.


>All the tone I have developed will disappear if I
>continue working on improving my ability to trick
>my tin whistles into producing the notes that had
>eluded me for so long?


I've seen or heard Chris Michalek mention that he is very careful
where he uses overblows and prefers using the best tool for the job in
terms of harp selection. Rather than trying to play everything on a C
harp for instance, he'll choose the harp key most appropriate for the
music thereby minimizing or perhaps specifying the overblows required
as he perceives a more pleasing tonal end result. I stand to be
clarified by him on this if inaccurate.


>I am having some limited success with the overbending techniques
>.... hope someday to be referred to as "one of those
>Overblow guys" ... I will consider it a badge of honor.


In the name of personal technical advancement, “tool envy” seems to
often come in to play. We usually want what we don't have.

I wonder if, in the case of experienced players who have difficulty
being able to overblow, their personal internal anatomic, physiologic,
geometric, aerodynamic, etc characteristics may be a crucial yet
seemingly under-acknowledged impediment? Who knows, perhaps technology
driven tonal investigations are in the works with respect to other
wind instruments (ie sax, trumpet, etc), the sounds that their masters
produce(d) and the apparent non-transferability of these between great
players?


>People, there is no reason you can't play those missing notes with the same
>tone you get with your other notes. Believe me?


Unlikely to be true for all players given the huge differences we see
between the sound of various harp masters; past and present. Physical
“freakishness” / individuality with respect to the ability to overblow
/ fat-tone certain notes, is likely involved; as found in all physical
/ athletic endeavours? Also time/resource allocation considerations
and the resulting perceived benefit may, at some time, come in to play
for you?

The bottom line is that not all techniques work equally well for
everybody. We always tend to want what we don't have; grass always
greener on the other side of the fence.  Perhaps a quick harp switch,
is more effective many times (Norton Buffalo, MadCat, etc), if less
elegant? That being said, if ya' don't try ya' won't find out what
works and what works best for YOU ...