gorignak
37 posts
Jun 03, 2009
6:57 PM
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I did me first overblow today! It was the 6 ob on my A harp.
But here's my question, I can get the overblow fairly easy if I close the gap between the blow reed and the reed plate (getting it in tune is a different story), but then after a few times overblowing, it feels like the reed loosens out of position and I lose the ability to pop it in as easy as before. So am I doing something wrong? bad technique? or is this something that simply happens?
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Buddha
591 posts
Jun 03, 2009
10:06 PM
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pretend you took lessons from Ronco. Set it and forget it.
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gorignak
38 posts
Jun 03, 2009
10:16 PM
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Haha, will do. Thanks.
I guess that leaves my technique as the leading candidate.
*nice reference by the way.
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DaDoom
108 posts
Jun 04, 2009
12:17 AM
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hey gorignak
It shouldn't loosen out of position just after a few OBs. Maybe something is wrong with that reed?
I have a problem with OB setting on my A harp as well. I narrowed the gap on 4b so that I can pop the OB without effort. But when I play fast riffs the 4b sometimes gets stuck. I suppose that's because the gap is too narrow now?
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gorignak
39 posts
Jun 04, 2009
2:38 PM
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DaBoom,
I've practiced for an hour exclusively on the 6 ob (I did the watermelon man riff over and over) and I think it's just my technique. After practicing I have become more consistent at popping it in place. Now I just need to get it in tune, it's a little flat :(
Thanks for the suggestion though, I'll keep it in mind if I find this a problem again.
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Buddha
596 posts
Jun 04, 2009
2:40 PM
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sorry to be vague. Metal has a memory. Set the reed and then don't touch it for several days.
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gorignak
41 posts
Jun 04, 2009
2:55 PM
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No problem, thanks for clarifying. So then it was probably 20% the reed, 80% my technique.
Do I have to repeat this process continuously, or after a while will it eventually learn to sit put?
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gorignak
42 posts
Jun 04, 2009
3:00 PM
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Okay, thanks for the help
Last Edited by on Jun 04, 2009 3:18 PM
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Preston
399 posts
Jun 04, 2009
3:14 PM
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Thanks for the tip Buddha! When I set my gaps, I start playing them right away, at different speeds and varying volumes to see how all 20 of them respond under different circumstances. I've noticed that some of the lower holes usually need re-adjusting after about 2 days of playing. I gotta try this!
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GermanHarpist
376 posts
Jun 04, 2009
4:02 PM
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Great tip! Thanks Buddha.
gorignak: I kinda had the same problem. After a couple of overblows it kinda doesn't pop in that easy - or not at all at first. But then I concentrate on my technique (instead on the riff) and then it works again. The better your technique the less this happens.
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germanharpist, harpfriends on Youtube
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RyanMortos
190 posts
Jun 04, 2009
4:43 PM
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I got a question for overblowers, how do you do it? So many times I've heard things like draw bend on 6 then reverse it. I usually don't get anything is this because my harps aren't gapped for overblows? I'm going to to be trying my hand at tightening up a poor golden melody I was able to get playing again next week, hopefully that will help. It is really obvious when you get it right? It isn't like well maybe it is or maybe it's a blow bend, lol?
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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GermanHarpist
377 posts
Jun 04, 2009
5:36 PM
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Maybe these old threads could help you out...
Hope for OB/OD novices
Overblows
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germanharpist, harpfriends on Youtube
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Buddha
598 posts
Jun 04, 2009
5:55 PM
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I made a youtube on it.
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RyanMortos
191 posts
Jun 04, 2009
7:31 PM
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Yeah, the straw video right? That helped me understand bends. So a 6OB on a C harp should be a Bb? My chromatic tuner is just about reading F# when I'm trying so I guess I'm doing something wrong for the OB. I'll just keep plugging away at different embouchures.
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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Preston
400 posts
Jun 05, 2009
5:22 AM
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Actually Ryan, you are doing something right. The fact that you are bending the blow note down in pitch means you are getting close to "choking" the blow reed out. Atta boy!
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RyanMortos
192 posts
Jun 05, 2009
8:08 AM
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Preston, Oh really? Good to know :) . That's on an OOTB special 20. I have an OOTB suzuki bluesmaster in A I believe is gapped tighter, Ill give it a go on my lunch in a few minutes. Ive seen many charts & I may be forgetting but is there a good source to see what the overblows are on each of the different harp keys or is it just one chromatic note higher then the blow?
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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Preston
403 posts
Jun 05, 2009
9:00 AM
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It's always a 1 & 1/2 step above the blow note.
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RyanMortos
193 posts
Jun 05, 2009
9:23 AM
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Ah, cool. Im definately able to stop the blow reed from sounding. I suppose I just need to practice with that until I can add more presure to get the draw reed to sound?
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~Ryan
Pennsylvania - H.A.R.P. (Harmonica Association 'Round Philly)
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