DATE: Sat, 06 Nov 1993 12:47:30 CST From: Dick Anderson Subject: #1 overblow
Bart de Boer writes:
#1 overblow is probably one of the most difficult overblows and one of the least useful. Howard Levy teaches that it is not possible to sustain the note and the best way to make it work is to make a "Whhhht" with your mouth where you are forcing air from your mouth with the tongue, but not using air from your lungs.
The #6 overblow is very useful and probably the easiest one to start on. Have you adjusted the "action" of the reeds to be very close to the reed plate? You can tell when you have gone just about far enough because you will be able to make a nice blow note when you blow normally, but when you blow somewhat harder, the note will not sound. This is the tradeoff and it is a very delicate balance between a nice response and no overblow or good overblow and very sluggish response. IF you don't want to adjust your reeds, then blocking the blow reed with your finger will simulate the correct condition.
When I instruct someone to overblow, I first ask that they be able to blow bend holes 8,9,10. I think the mouth position is very similar to that of overblowing. If you can blow bend 8 blow very smoothly, then you are ready to try a 6 overblow.
Use a G harp or the lowest harp you have. Blow on hole 6 using the same mouth motions as you used to bend 8 blow. Take the covers off and block the blow reed with your finger to get the idea of where the note is going. (It is going to "pop" up). Once you get the note, adjust your tongue and mouth to emphasize this note. You can even "bend" this overblow up a little higher on some holes.
If you need some personal instruction on this I'd be happy to talk on the phone on weekends.
dick....
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Dick Anderson CCMO New Component Engineering Telnet 229-3110 Hewlett Packard Direct Dial 1-303-229-3110 3404 E Harmony Road HPDESK dick_anders~p4000 Fort Collins Colorado 80525 mail anders~era.fc.hp.com Home Phone 303-669-4293
