OK guys, being a straight harp player, and a rookie at that can some one explane the differance between a Overblow and a Blowbend?
Some sound samples would really help if anyone knows where there are any.

Try this site http://www.overblow.com/?menuid=116

Use the Bendometer software to see the notes that are possible.

They are the same thing.

I think they're done in a very similar manner. Just with different results.

With an overblow (1-6, as seamus informed me last thursday) the note will be higher, and it'll 'jump' higher. No bending.

A blow bend (7(or)8-10) should go down a note, and bend it's way there in the process.

Correct me if i'm wrong here fellas.


Good luck with 'em though. I had to modify my harp (Bushman DF key of A) to get it to do some overblows. tightened the gaps on a few reeds and such. Though I remember Ty saying he could do 'em with a Bushman with no modifications at all. S'rather odd sensation, and I find best achieved by trying to blow air from the inside of the top of your lip. Only way I can describe it.

this site explains it better than I ever could http://www.angelfire.com/tx/myquill/Overblows.html

As I understand it they are the same, overblows and overbends. they are raising the pitch of the note. A paste of the beginning of the description:

Overbends: Overblows and Overdraws
A so-called overbend is a type of bend where the pitch that results is higher in pitch than the natural note of either reed in the hole, rather than lowering the pitch as with ordinary bends. This is because the overbend technique actually causes the normally-sounding reed to choke while you're playing so it doesn't sound, and causes the other reed in the chamber to sound as an opening note instead.

Bends, both blow and draw always are lower pitch than the normal blow/draw. Overbends/ blows and draws always are higher pitched than the normal blow/draw. In fact it is the highest pitch you will get with that hole.

Overblows are available on holes 1,4,5,and 6. Overdraws are available on holes 7,9, and 10. If you can get all these, you can play chromatically. I can get overblows on out of the box Delta Frosts, Souls Voice, BluesHarp, and Big River. I find D the easiest harp to do it. Hole 1 is easy to get a quick note, but I cannot get one I can hold. Lower pitched harps like A and G are harder to overblow hole 4. As to wheather they are done in the same manner , not true for me. Holes 6 and 5 require a jaw tightening like you are hissing like an angry cat. Hole 4 requires a jaw tightening and really making the inside of your mouth as big as possible, lots of ressenamce. Hole 1 requires a quick blow of excess air in the mouth like a Whit (Wisper) through the whole which is why a sustained note is so hard.

I'm working on the overdraws with hole 7 being an occasional success.

I really really do appreciate everyones input on this. It has cleared everything up for me. Not that I'm ready to start doing overblows yet, heck I'm still learning to do bends right now. But I never knew the differance between the two. Now I know. Thank you.

Maybe sombody who can overblow and blowbend can load a couple of examples of there Online Album?

Delboy, that would be really cool to have some sound samples.
And maybe even a little tutorial like the way Seamus has set up for bending notes in the lesson section

Seamus! What do you think my friend, is it possible?

Untill any thing like that gets added to this forum you can check these links below.

Tinus, the author of these sites has some good sound bites of over blow and draw.


www.Overblow.com

www. Ten Hole.com

-Vortex.

Since you mentioned it , On Copperhead Stomp, I overblow 6,5, and 4. ALso on diatonic harp reference, there are overblow examples. But nice idea just the same. I'll try to put an example overblow and blow and blowbend on one of my CDs and not worry about a great song.

OK, I uploaded a demo of blowbends, overblows and 1 overdraw on my CD. I hope it helps out.

Excellent lesson foghorn, Thanks for taking the time to prepare it.

Well explained Paul, Seamus this could be a good tool in the Note Bending area, If Paul would not mind a link being set up.

If it is a help and you want it, I have no problem with the link set up for it. I have never instructed anything on harp before, so it is what it is. Thanks for the interest. I will look to improve it as I hopefully get better at it.

Thanks Paul,
I've put the file on the Note Bending page too. I just done a quick edit to the page crediting you for the file If you change the lesson just let me know and I'll link to the new file.