Yes, finally! I just watched this video a couple of hours ago and I'm actually making progress using the blow bend method. I've tried it before after watching other videos and could get to the choke point but then it would just turn into a regular blow note. I believe the what made the difference for me this time was when you said to keep trying to bend the note. I don't believe I've heard anyone say that before. So after a couple of hours of trying, I started getting the two reeds sounding at the same time and after a bit more trying I managed to get just the 6 overblow note sounding. I just need to keep working on it. Thanks so much, Liam. 😀
Many thanks from Australia for this. I learnt to draw bend notes down when I was 16, blow bend notes down soon after and it’s now 56 years later and I’m hoping to get this technique finally! I once played a season (on bass) with bluesman Robert Jr Lockwood and asked him about harmonica wiz Blues Birdhead, thinking Birdhead, who improvised on a harmonic minor scale in his version of St James Infirmary, was white but no, Mr Lockwood assured me that he’d known Birdhead and he was indeed black. As I remember, Birdhead used blow bends excellently, something I’d always hoped to copy. It’ll be a noisy last few months of the year here in Melbourne while I practise!! Thanks again.
Best description on this technique yet, but sadly I still have never gotten an overblow to work... It's only been 10 years so maybe a bit more patience...😂🤣
@Gary I found the same with draw bends.... They just didn't sound right either. It's what drove me to chromatics, the notes are really there... Still tryin' to get along with diatonics though...
Thank you! I actually had to combine both before I succeeded: 1. I did your bend on draw 6, then reversed airflow. Didn't quite come close to getting Bb. 2. I then blow bent downward until silence ... aside from hearing airflow. The airflow kind of hinted a Bb though. However, I didn't get the reed to make Bb. 3. While keeping that deep bend in mind for that airflow, I did a draw 6 again from 1, then quickly reversed airflow. For a split second, I heard the reed on Bb!!! Now I'm just repeating all that in different combinations and hearing it more often. Eventually I'll land it each time!
Great lesson. I think that overblows are not as difficult as many people say and it is really good to learn especially 6 oveblow really quickly, it is important note in blues. Overblows are powerfull weapon, it is possible to overbend an overblow and on 6 hole overblow get E (8 blow). This is great on a F harmonica, you can overblow 3 hole and get 4 blow note, using overblow overbend you can make this note really interesting by puting a vibrato on it.
@OnceTheyNamedMEiWasn't maybe you have to adjust your instrument. It is hard to overblow out of the box harp and overblow overbend is much harder. I can do it on basically adjusted harmonicas except A and G. D, E or F are good harps to learn overblows because reeds are lighter than C and lower ones.
@OnceTheyNamedMEiWasn't I think that Tomlin Leckie uploaded a video about adjusting harmonica to overblows. In Tomlin's video it is only about lowering reeds, there is a few more advanced things which you can do, but for me lowering reeds is enough. Good luck.
This is very interesting and i like it. It doesn't seem very hard, yet i haven't practiced harmonica in a very long time. Wish i can learn it again soon, might even try ^^
I'm not sure if I got the 6 overblow on my Hohner special 20 using the draw bend then blow method. I definitely couldn't get it with the blow bend method because I wasn't able to blow bend the 6 at all. Not all bad news though, I definitely got it on the 7 hole using blow bend and pushing beyond it ! ❤
Hi Liam, love your videos, really helpful. I've been playing for years but never really tackled the over blows as I didn't feel the need while mostly playing second position blues and first position folk. Now i'm looking into jazz and it looks like I can't avoid them any more! ;-) However I'm struggling a bit and I've heard Lee Oskar harmonicas aren't the best for this technique. Is that true from your experience? Most of my harps are Lee Oskar but I have a couple of Suzuki half valved Paddy Richters.
@@Learntheharmonica Thanks Liam, I was worried you'd say that! Which brand would you suggest is the best to try out in the mid to high priced harps if I wanted to better master overblows? I have a full case of Lee Oskars (Facepalm!).
I'm just starting to learn a little about harmonicas and plan to buy one this week. is an overblow just the opposite of a bend? My assumption is that a bend is done on the draw and the overblow is on the blow. ??? They are both ways of playing flats?
It's not the "opposite" in terms of technique, it's actually similar but overblows are more unstable and need more precision. However, you're on the right track with the layout. It's possible to draw bend holes 1-6, blow bend holes 7-10, overblow holes 1-6, and overdraw 7-10, so in that sense yes they reflect each other.
In my case, the technique 1 just doesn't do a thing no matter in what way I do the draw bend. And the technique 2, the blow bend on 6 blows all the way to a dirty Gb, and becomes impossible to bend any further, so there never is any choke moment.
Hi, thanks for your comment. When it becomes impossible to bend any further... that IS the choke moment. At that moment, you have to keep imagining you can bend it further even though you can't. If you keep doing that, you should go past the silent point (the choke) and find the new note jumping out of nowhere. Sorry if that wasn't clear in the video!
Nope, totally different. Overblows give you a higher note that jumps out of nowhere. Draw bends move a note downwards from the natural note. I'm going to release a video on the difference soon so watch this space.
Hi Liam. Thank you for the lesson! Are you using a costomized harp or a standard one? do you think it´s possible to overblow with a standard harp? Thanks in advance! (sorry just listened to minute 6,42 where you tell something about my question!)
Good afternoon Tom, could you give me your opinion on two Seydel modelo? The session stell and the Solist pro . In LE key . Many thaks are as loud as the Honer Rocket ? Many thanks
Hello,( from Turkey)I like your playing very much. My best friend has a birthday and I want to play our song with her on her birthday with the harmonica. song name :"alec benjamin if we have each other". can you please do the harmonica notes of this song ? please come up with a video where you play this song
Gapping the reeds helps a lot (narrowing the gap between the reed and the reedpate). It can also help to wax the rivet end of the reeds to reduce squealing. Also there's a technique called embossing which helps make them more airtight. You don't HAVE to do any of those things but it can help. I have an 'Intro to Overblows' course at my school - www.learntheharmonica.com/school-signup
So, do I have to make any physical alterations to the instrument to do these blows or bends? I have seen some videos suggesting this be done but the harmonica I have cannot be taken apart there are now crews, but brads holing the instrument together and if I could get it apart to do the suggested alteration in those videos, there would be no way to get it back together again.
Thanks for your comment. Do you have a Hohner Marine Band held together with nails? If so, it is possible to take it apart and put it back together again. You don't NEED to alter the instrument to play overblows, but it does make it easier.
Most harmonicas will overblow but it will definitely be easier on some than others. Lee Oskars are notoriously bad for overblowing... I'm not too sure about Easttop.
6th hole wont draw bend, on holes 1,2,3,4,5.... I can bend fluently. Im perplexed.🤔 Key of C Hohner Big River Harp. Been playing over a decade, can't recreate it .....punish myself trying every few years. Gah.
Sorry to hear that the video didn't help you. Can you bend notes? If not, don't try to overblow yet as bending is easier and gives you more notes. Once you can bend, I think this video will help as you can apply your bending technique to overblowing.
