[Harp-L] beginner questions

[vincent <vincent.fx@xxxxxxxxx>]

Forgive these questions, I know it's like asking astrophysicists about
time tables but if you'd be so kind...
1. What do asterisks mean in some of the harp tabs I have come across?
2. I know 2 hole draw is difficult for beginners, but it also seems
that sometimes my harp gets gummed up or something after 10 minutes of
playing -- the 2 hole draws (and others) suddenly get really hard,
blocked and weak.   What's going on?
3. All this stuff about mics and amps, isn't it overdone?  It seems I
am getting a very good sound, the classic, bluesy, semi-distorted,
chunky sound, just with a regular SM58 and other standard mics, a
simple delay pedal, and then by maxing the overdrive on the (cheap)
amp.

thanks in advance, harp masters