Re: [Harp-L] overdraw overbend overblow

[Tin Lizzie <TrackHarpL@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

So, my execution is still highly unperfected, and I am not a historian, but here’s my take on the terminology:

“Bending” a note means using an embouchure/vocal cavity technique to get a pitch other than the natural pitch you get when you blow or draw naturally through one of the harp’s chambers.

“Regular" or “ordinary" bending means playing a pitch that is between the higher and lower notes that can are naturally obtained from a given chamber of the harp.  It is therefore always  *lower* in pitch than the higher of the two.

In holes 1-6 of a Richter-tuned harp, the draw note is higher than the blow note, and the bend is achieved by lowering the pitch of the draw note, and is called “draw bending”.  In holes 7-10 of a Richter-tuned harp, the blow note is higher, and the bend is achieved by lowering the pitch of the blow note, and is called “blow bending”.  This kind of bending predates so-called “overbending” (see below) enough that it doesn’t get a modifier.  So, for example, 2-whole-step-bend and 10-whole-step-bend both lower a pitch by a whole step, and the breath direction is implied as being the correct one to obtain the desired note.

“Overbending” is a technique that has come into use more recently, and means using an embouchure/vocal cavity technique to play a pitch that is *higher* than (or OVER) the higher of the two pitches naturally obtained from a chamber.  On a Richter-tuned harp, the breath direction required for this technique on chambers 1-6 is blow, and the notes are commonly referred to as “overblows"; the breath direction on chambers 7-10 is draw, and these notes are typically referred to as “overdraws”.  The term “overbend” means to play a note higher than the higher of the two pitches naturally obtainable from a given chamber, and the and the breath direction is implied as being the correct one to obtain the desired note.

If someone casually or carelessly referred to "10 overblow”, I would mentally translate that to “10 overBEND”, and expect pitch to be higher than 10-blow and the breath direction to be “draw”.

Tin Lizzie


On Feb 9, 2014, at 10:57 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> From: Robert Hale <robert@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: February 9, 2014 12:42:59 AM EST
> To: harp-L list <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] overdraw overbend overblow
> 
> 
> Oh boy!
> I think I need to graph this! Do we have consensus?
> 
> Answers, so far...
> 
> overblows also cover both overblows and overdraws.  if someone called 7
> overdraw the 7 overblow he would still be using standard harp speak.
> 
> "Overbend" is the general term for both overdraws and overblows.
> "Overblows" are the overbends available on holes 1 to 6; overdraws are the
> overbends available on holes 7 to 10.
> 
> Overbend (also overnotes) = overdraw and overblow
> 
> Thanks to each of you for contributing. I'm not clear on this yet.
> 
> Robert Hale