Frankie
5 posts
Jan 17, 2018
8:55 AM
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I am a beginner , How long should I play until the time comes that I have to start customizing harmonica and lear overblow?
It seems very hard.
Also without this technique I will be always lacking?
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SuperBee
5193 posts
Jan 17, 2018
5:47 PM
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That entirely depends upon your goals.
I barely overblow at all. I ‘can’ do it but for me there is very little value in it. That’s not really my interest in harmonica. I’d rather work with a different instrument.
Possibly not the first technique to learn, but I’m not a teacher. Iceman, Winslow and others may have a different perspective on it.
I only learned to Blow bend in order to learn how to overblow. I discovered I love blow bends but overblows just aren’t my thing.
But honestly, it’s your gig. There is no obligation to learn everything at once though.
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MindTheGap
2452 posts
Jan 18, 2018
12:38 AM
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Agreed. Personally I'd rather put the effort into learning the Chromatic properly. But there's a lot of interest in playing the diatonic chromatically, with the general feeling that it's a differentiator between skill levels.
Some players use only a few choice overblows in their style, and you might consider that. Adam for instance uses the OB on 4,5,6 a lot especially as passing notes to add jazzy flavour a more traditional blues-harp style.
It's also common to use just the 6 OB to give a minor third, which allows a more bluesy sound to the upper octave in 2nd position. 6 OB is the easiest to get I think (well I think so) and often doesn't need any customisation or adjustment to the harp.
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SuperBee
5196 posts
Jan 18, 2018
1:22 AM
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For sure, if I overblow at all the 6 is the one I use.
I saw Paul Oscher write about this. He claims to have been one of the first to use the note. He said he no longer uses it, he’s decided it’s as effective to use one of the other available sources if he really must play that note.
That was about the last straw for me. I still play it and test harps for it (and 4 and 5, and 7 OD) but I no longer hold any real expectation that I’ll seriously incorporate overblows. I’m deciding between clarinet, guitar, keys and chromatic harmonica. And gardening.
I’ll probably just keep blowing the diatonic blues harp, 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions. That’s what I love.
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MindTheGap
2454 posts
Jan 18, 2018
3:27 AM
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Definitely worth mentioning the option of different positions - 3rd position tends towards a minor feel so that's going with the grain. Not all blues harp has to be 2nd and 1st position.
Myself, I like the idea of working with the strengths and weaknesses of the instrument rather than trying to shoehorn it awkwardly into a fully chromatic world. And there's a huge repertoire of great songs played without OBs.
But there's definitely an alternative view, maybe the majority view, certainly a loud one, that you should push the envelope.
Personally, because I did want the chromatic option to play things outside the scope of the diatonic, I put some considerable effort into learning the trumpet. But it hasn't gone very well - it's much, much less relaxing to play! All that compression, can't be good for you.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Jan 18, 2018 3:31 AM
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Frankie
6 posts
Jan 18, 2018
7:11 AM
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wow great answers. this forum is very helpful thanks
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Bike&Harp
159 posts
Jan 19, 2018
6:13 PM
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No specific time but learn how to bend notes properly first, then if it still interests you pursue it. But when you learn remember to finesse them in tune. They are usually never in tune when you play them so you need to bend them a bit to get them to sound nice. If you want to play anything further than standard blues harp then they are a necessity IMO. Jason has a video on YT on bending overblows and he sums it up when he says bending overblows is learning to play them even better.
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