Blues Harmonica Secrets Revealed (Gussow.017)

Overblows! A quick-hit lesson on what they are, how to play them, and how to set up your harp to make them easier to play. Brief demo of overblow licks and Sony Rollins's "Tenor Madness."

If you'd like to purchase a copy of my new solo album, KICK AND STOMP (2010), please hit the following link. Only $10 for 14 tracks of harp-powered one-man band music, all for instant download. Liner notes included!:

http://www.modernbluesharmonica.com/kick_and_stomp.html


For a free tab sheet to this video, please visit:

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/2936321-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials

For a video tutorial focused on "Tenor Madness," please visit:

http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/2158077-Documents-eBooks-Music-Tutorials

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• blues
• harmonica
• harp
• Satan
• Adam
• Gussow

[59jimkay]

Very 'White' (anal) but I DO appreciate you taking the time, sir, to share with me all you know.

I've been playing "Blues" Harp for almost 50 yrs and the question I ask myself as 'true' bluesman (can I say that?) is: "Would Howlin Wolf, or Jimmy Reed, or Little Walter do this" when I consider taking playing my harp?

[KudzuRunner]

@59jimkay: The funny thing about the word "bluesman" is that it's an invention of white folklorists. It's not a word Howlin Wolf, Jimmy Reed, or Little Walter ever used. I try to avoid it.

[pe003]

I have a strange question. do you adjust harps to play over blows and strong bends? or do you use different harps or are you adjusting different reeds on the same harp. beause in one of your pervious video you suggested opening the draw reed to increase bend ability and at the end of this one you say that clossing them can help over blow. as a side not I really like the jazz sound your making in this video, it fasinates me to see what sounds can come out of this instument its very expressive.

[KudzuRunner]

@pe003: Your question is excellent, actually. Yes, there's a paradox: if I want to adjust a harp to overblow, I close down the gap on the 4, 5, and 6 holes, to the point just BEFORE the reeds stick. That usually does the trick. If I need to, I then close down the draw reeds on those holes. But when you close draw reeds, you begin to make the bends more difficult. (This is particularly true on the 3 draw.) So I try to avoid tweaking the draw reeds down, unless I have to.

[OlleGranat]

Hi Adam, thanks for the lesson! I can do overblows fairly easy now, but I have a really irritating problem, every time i adjust my harps to overblow, they go flat! I just did it on my C MB deluxe and the 6 hole blow sounds awful.. Do you have any idea how I can avoid it?

Thanks.

Olle.

[KudzuRunner]

Overblowing per se can be hard on blow reeds, but if yours is going flat soon after you adjust it, you're probably stressing or even scoring the reed in a way that weakens it. I can't diagnose beyond that. Visit the forum search at Modern Blues Harmonica (one of the last pages on the website) and search "overblow." Lots of threads!

[gorblimey61]

Okay, I'm able to get an overblow on hole 6 of my C harp after pushing the blow reed down closer to the plate. I can definitely hear the transition from a G note to a Bb, but now sometimes I can't get a clear G note on a straight blow. Do I need to bend the reed back up a little?

[rozita3003]

Harmonica hack!XD Thanks for sharing

[sfsfhfshfs]

Great stuff, your vids are still helping harp players four yrs on. good on ya ;-)

[cxmxbx52]

I was wondering if that in between sound when approaching the overblow is ever of use as a multiphonic effect to suggest a chord. For example if you play the blow note and the overblow in hole 6 of a C harp, you get the notes G and Bb and then it would suggest of Gm chord? 

[PRPWR]

hey I can't see the video!! Until the end??? Is something wrong?? Please help!!

[MrNeilpeartfan]

Just downloaded some of your songs from Kick and Stomp great stuff! :D

[MrNeilpeartfan]

Does one have to modify their harps to play overblows more successfully?