[Harp-L] Overblows

[Jerome P.]

Correct !

Concerning the -3*** I'm sure it's the same for you : you inhale & the blow
reed produces the note.
Concerning the -4*, it may be different for you, but for me yes, I inhale &
the blow reed makes most of the sound.

I say "most of the sound" because both reeds react. But one reacts much
more than the other.

Le ven. 16 nov. 2018 à 16:05, Michael Rubin <michaelrubinharmonica at xxxxx>
a écrit :

> But when you play -3***, Ab, you are inhaling to do it.
>
> When you play -4*, Db, you are inhaling to do it.
>
> Correct?
>
> On Fri, Nov 16, 2018 at 8:58 AM Jerome P. <jersimuse at xxxxx> wrote:
>
>> 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.
>>>> > >>
>>>> > >>
>>>> > >>
>>>> > >>
>>>> > >>
>>>> > >>
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>