Overblows vs bends

Technique
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Overblows vrs blow bends

There is much confusion as to what bending does vs what overblows do. Bends take a note that is built into the harmonica and make it go lower in pitch. The note or sound produced is located in between the blow note and the draw note.

Bending occurs on the draw notes on holes 1 through 6 and the blow notes on holes 7 through 10.

Overblows take a note that is built into the harmonica and make it go higher in pitch. The standard note produced is one half step (one keyboard note) higher than the note in the opposing breath direction. However, every overblow can be raised multiple half steps.

For example, 4 blow is C. 4 draw is D. When you overblow into 4 blow it alters the C and becomes D# aka Eb. This can be raised to E, F, F# G and G# and possibly further. Do you use overblows? Do you like em?

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I can overblow but I play blues mostly if I play them it’ll be something “in the moment” and not planned, not that anything I play is planned. I’ve been asked how I do them, the truth is I’m not really sure, it seems when I deliberately try to play one and I think about it I can’t do them it’s very strange

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@Andy2 The centipede was happy quite, until a toad in fun, said pray which leg goes after which. this worked his mind to such a pitch he lay distracted in a ditch, considering how to run. (George Humphrey)

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Yep, that’s about right!

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