[Harp-L] Overblows

[Jerome P.]

Hi Rubin,
it's half semantics, half reality.
Let's take three examples.

1. when I do a 3', Bb on a C harmonica
like everybody else, it is my draw reed which makes most of the sound

2. when I do a 3''', Ab on a C harmonica
like everybody else (but most of harmonica players don't know that), it's
not the draw reed which produces the note but the blow reed.
This is not a bend, but an overdraw !

3. when I do a 4', Db on a C harmonica
not like everybody else, it is not my draw reed which makes most of the
sound, but my blow reed !

The two only real draw bends I do are 3' and 10'. I think my 2' is also
mostly a draw bend in fact, but not totally sure, I'll have to verify. By
"real draw bends" I mean : it is the draw reed that makes the sound.
For all the other ones, most of the sound is made by the blow reed. So
these are not really draw bends, but overdraws, like the 3''' case.
Additionnaly to that, I play overblows.
Conclusion : 95% of the time, either I play a natural note, or I play an
overnote.

I'll have to take time to make a video to show this.

Regards,

Jerome
www.jeromepeyrelevade.com

Le ven. 16 nov. 2018 à 14:27, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx>
a écrit :

> Jerome,
> Are you saying you don't bend to get the F or F# on 2 draw?  You play one
> overblow raised very high?  Please elaborate.  I feel like I must be
> misunderstanding you and you are using semantics to be humorous.
>
> Michael
>
> On Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 7:14 AM Jerome P. <jersimuse at xxxxx> wrote:
>
>> Hey Joe, you're trying to ruin my legendary humility :D
>>
>> I love your definition of what your paying a musician for !
>>
>> In fact, I know many players who have done this work on timbre
>> homonigeneity & pitch precision.
>> I organize yearly training sessions in France, together with Sebastien
>> Charlier, and the guys we teach to have already done this work both on
>> bends & overblows.
>> Most of them are amateurs, they still have to work of course, but some
>> have
>> extremely good results concerning those notes.
>> And at a certain point, bent notes become much more complex to be
>> controlled than overblows (both on timbre & pitch).
>>
>> I'll reveal the secret for you.
>> A lot of harmonica players play the overblows in the same position as the
>> high bent blow notes, and they also force a bit with the stomach and/or
>> the
>> throat to get them.
>> How do I know ? They have this specific timbre on the overblows, very
>> different than the one they have on draw bends.
>> The secret is to do the contrary : play the overblow in the same position
>> as the opposite draw bend & do not put any force.
>> Now the timbre is closer to the one of the draw bend, but the pitch is
>> probably too low.
>> Once you have done this, take a tuner and verify the pitch of both notes :
>> bend & overblow.
>> You have to find a tongue position which is exactly the same for both
>> notes
>> (for example 4' and 4°) with perfect pitch for both, of course.
>> If you succeed, both pitch are perfect & the timbres are homogeneous.
>>
>> I'll reveal another secret, just for you : I consider my harmonica
>> composed
>> of natural & overnotes. That's all.
>> I exagerate a bit, I have two bent notes on my harp : 3' & 10'.
>> For all the other ones, I play either natural notes, or overnotes.
>> Bends don't exist, my friend ! and I can prove it ! :D
>>
>> Thank you very much for your kind words !
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Jerome
>> www.jeromepeyrelevade.com
>>
>> Le ven. 16 nov. 2018 à 05:22, Joseph Leone <3N037 at xxxxx> a écrit :
>>
>> > I always try to be charitable..IF I can. Or maybe diplomatic. Yes there
>> > may be occasions when a person uses overblows to show off.
>> > BUT I kinda see it this way. More than likely a person is using the
>> > overblows to show that they have paid their dues and in an ever
>> > increasing competitive world, these players are making a case that they
>> > have done the work and done the mileage to prospective gig
>> > providers. And therefore getting gigs through a display of (possibly)
>> > higher qualifications.
>> >
>> > See I have always believed that you are not paying a musician for WHAT
>> > they can do. You are paying them for EFFORT spent in practice
>> > time. Which in most cases amounts to years. And not just a couple hours
>> of
>> > gig.
>> >
>> > In the 7 decades that I have listened to harmonica players, and keeping
>> in
>> > mind that if the lifetime of harmonica was only one year, overblows
>> > didn’t (really) appear till Dec. 11th. I hear overblows and most of the
>> > time the timbre is like my left arm. It isn’t right and it isn’t fair.
>> So
>> > to speak.
>> > But I certainly admire those who can pull it off. AND do it
>> consistently.
>> > If I were ever to seek a player as an expert on overblows, there are a
>> few
>> > right here on this list. But most fall short and should refrain from
>> doing
>> > them in public until such time as they sound like a Jerome or ????
>> >
>> > The greatest thing you will ever learn is just to love..and be loved in
>> > return. Play on. :)
>> >
>> > Love….smo-joe
>> >
>> > > On Nov 15, 2018, at 9:28 AM, Jerome P. <jersimuse at xxxxx> wrote:
>> > >
>> > > "A few use them to show off more than making music, though."
>> > >
>> > > I believe you but this is absurd : non harmonica players don't care,
>> and
>> > > harmonica players now are aware it's not such a big deal.
>> > > Musicality is much more challenging (once the technical work has been
>> > done,
>> > > of course).
>> > > :D
>> > >
>> > > Le mer. 14 nov. 2018 à 20:08, The Iceman via Harp-L <
>> harp-l at xxxxx>
>> > a
>> > > écrit :
>> > >
>> > >> OB is used by different artists in different ways. There is no 1
>> > ultimate
>> > >> answer...I use them when they offer up a note choice not available in
>> > >> traditional bending techniques, no matter what "position" I may
>> choose
>> > to
>> > >> play.
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >> A few use them to show off more than making music, though.
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> > >>
>> >
>> >
>>
>