[Harp-L] Valving vs. Overblowing/Overdrawing

[Elizabeth Hess <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

So, when I was making my Smo' Joe tuned harps, I learned how to valve  
draw-5 so that you can blow-bend 5 to get Eb (on a C harp).  It's  
pretty easy.  And I got a PowerBender, and valved draw 2, 7, 9,and 10  
to get the "in-between" notes on that harp.

Does it work to valve the blow reeds at the top end of a Richter-tuned  
harp to get Db and Ab (on a C harp)?

Blow bending with valves seems easier to execute than overblowing and  
overdrawing.  Why does overblowing/overdrawing seem so much more  
prevalent?  Are there cons to valving that I don't know about?  Is it  
"cheating" to use the easier technique for getting those notes?   
Supposing I wanted to use valves *until* I got good enough to overblow/ 
overdraw as if it were "just another bend", can you overblow a chamber  
that has a valve on it?  Is there any reason not to just valve  
everything relevant on all my harps?

I found a hammer.  Everything looks like a nail at the moment.    
Except I have this nagging feeling that I  *ought*  to know better.   
What am I missing?

Elizabeth