Re: [Harp-L] Some Basics About Overblowing, For People Who Are New to It

[David Payne <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Right. For the benefit of the future overblowers: To overblow is a two-step 
process, first stopping the blow reed, then getting the draw reed inside the 
reedslot to become the new blow reed. The problem most folks have is they have 
trouble getting past the first one, or maybe the blow reed doesn't cooperate at 
all. The squealing in a bad overblow comes from the blow reed not being able to 
handle the stress. The first one usually isn't that much of a problem, but they 
can't get past it to the second. 


There is a real quick to start an overblow for learning. Eliminate the first 
step. Take a piece of tape or something and put it on the outside of the blow 
reed's slot. That blocks off the blow reed and the rest is pretty easy. 


David
www.elkriverharmonicas.com 
www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Elk-River-Harmonicas/143747822356030



________________________________
From: Elizabeth Hess <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Joe Leone <3n037@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tue, May 10, 2011 2:55:11 PM
Subject: [Harp-L] Some Basics About Overblowing, For People Who Are New to It

Overblowing is easier if the tolerances between the reeds, the reed plates, and 
the edges of the reed slots are closer than is practicable in most 
manufacturers' mass production process.  (Hat tip to Brad Harrison.)  You will 
almost certainly have to get inside your harp and work on it.  Cope.  (I use and 
recommend Richard Sleigh's tool kit (http://customharmonicas.com/r-sleigh/); I 
love the plinker from the Lee Oscar kit.)

When you overblow, it is the DRAW reed that is vibrating and making the sound.  
You have to manipulate the air stream to stop (or "choke") the blow reed.  This 
YouTube video demonstrates this particularly well:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80b3NM4ar9Q


---
This information from Michael Rubin, which I have permission to share, is 
helpful for getting started on adjusting the gaps of the reeds:


On Feb 23, 2010, at 11:01 AM, michael rubin wrote:

> Elizabeth,
> Thanks for the kind words.  If you think this is helpful to the list,
> make it public.
> 
> I take an eyeglass screwdriver and take off the cover plates.  I leave
> the comb and the reed plate intact.
> 
> I choose the hole I want to overblow.  I take the tip of a flathead
> eyeglass screwdriver and push the draw reed closer to the reed plate.
> I do this close to the rivet.
> 
> I put the screwdriver inside the hole and push the blow reed closer to
> the reed plate.  I do this close to the rivet.
> 
> I put the reed plates [Note:  corrected to COVER plates] on and hold the harp 
>together without screwing
> in the reed plates.  [Probably without screwing on the cover plates.  -E.]
> 
> I blow and draw the hole without attempting to overblow.  I come at it
> from many directions.  If the note is 6 blow, I start on 6 blow.  Then
> I start on 6 draw and go to  6 blow.  I start on 5 blow and go to 6
> blow.  I start on 5 draw and go to 6 blow.  I start on 4 draw and go
> to 6 blow.  I try and reenact playing the harp.
> 
> Ultimately, I want no playing resistance so I can overblow and blow
> and draw with no resistance.  However in a second I will tell you why
> I want some resistance now.
> 
> Then I try to overblow cleanly.  If it is easy, and there is no
> resistance coming to it from multiple directions, success!  Time for
> the next hole.
> 
> Normally I prefer a little resistance on the straight blow and draw
> note.  Then I can push the reed in the opposite direction very
> slightly again and again until there is no resistance.  The best
> overblow playing is when there is no resistance on the blow and draw
> reed but if they were gapped just a little tighter, there would be
> resitsance.  So, I gap them to have resistance, then back off.
> Michael Rubin
> Michaelrubinharmonica.com

---
This guidance from Rupert Oysler, which I don't have explicit permission to 
share, but which I am sharing, anyway.  (Thank you, Rupert.)


On Nov 18, 2008, at 9:45 PM, Rupert Oysler wrote:

> If you want to learn OB one good way is to practice doing regular blow bending 
>(holes 8, 9, 10...) Start with a low harp (G, LF, LD..whatever you have that is 
>lowest....) and learn to smoothly control blow bends (smoothly slowly bend it 
>down and then gradually back up, learn to come in on the bent tone, and bend up, 
>etc.) then move up in harp keys A, Bb, C, D, E, F, etc. When you can easily blow 
>bend without  adding extra pressure, just apply that technique to hole 6 on a 
>Bb, or C harp, and it will pop in...It helps to practice things like this just 
>for a few minutes at a time...like pick it up through the day, or if you have a 
>regular practice time, do this for just a minute, then go about your other 
>stuff, and do this again. It helps to just do it a minute or two and then go 
>back again next time. Don't dwell over and over on something like this in the 
>beginning stages. You will be amazed how your nervous system learns.


And:


On Nov 10, 2008, at 11:53 AM, Rupert Oysler wrote:

> The more that one begins to rely on advanced overblowing for important 
>sustained melody notes, the more exact the set-up becomes- and regular playing 
>becomes difficult. Most blues players would not even be able to play a harp that 
>Howard Levy was using in concert, etc, because it would be set-up so close. It 
>also depends on what style you want to play, and what songs etc. Personally for 
>songs that rely heavily on that 5 OB as an important melody note (Georgia, over 
>the rainbow, etc...), I would use a harp with the 5 draw tuned up a half step 
>(but still set up well for ob ).

---
As my dad used to tell me about the trick to catching fish, "Ya gotta hold your 
mouth right."  Here's what I do:  Clamp the edges of your tongue against your 
top molars.  Now, pretend there is an ant in the valley of your tongue.  Slowly 
try to herd the ant forward by pressing the back of your tongue up to the roof 
of your mouth, then move that "pressure point" forward.  Imagine trying to 
squish the ant against the front of the roof of your mouth where it comes down 
to meet the back of your gums.  (I know, ew, ants, but it's only an imaginary 
ant.)

Do this while gently playing blow 6 on a harp.  Your TONGUE is very rigid, but 
the air flow is gentle.  This contrast takes some getting used to.  If you're 
lucky, you'll get a wonky sort of hoot.  That's it, or close.  Keep trying until 
you can sustain the note for an arbitrarily long time.  As you start being able 
to hold the overblow note for longer times, you can experiment with small 
adjustments to your tongue position to change and/or improve your tone and 
intonation (pitch).

---
Michael also told me that after he studied overblow technique with several 
people, the thing that finally brought it together it for him was 
determination.  So, hang in there.  The sooner you get over the fact that there 
isn't a magic bullet, the sooner you'll settle in to the gradual work of getting 
these darned things.

---
I hope this helps, and apologize for the length.

Elizabeth