Did my first overblow today but

Overblows are sensitive to reed adjustment. Many out-of-the-box harps nowadays will overblow in Holes 4, 5, and 6, but it's not guaranteed. Which is why both players and customizers work on reed profiling and gapping, and slot sizing, to enhance reed response in several ways, including making overblows easier.

But for the moment, let's assume that the harp is just fine and you need to adjust your technique.

You didn't say, but am I correct that your got your first overblow in Hole 6? That's the most common starting point - even the first recorded overblow in 1929 was in Hole 6.

Think about bending Draw 5, vs. Draw 3 or 2. As the pitch goes lower, your oral cavity has to be tuned to a lower note by creating a bigger resonant chamber.

The same thing is true of our high blow bends. HOle 10 will require the smallest chamber, while 9, 8, and 7 (to the extent that it bends) each requires a slightly bigger chamber, with the tongue configured to provide that while still activating the bend with a narrowed "window" at the back of the chamber.

When you think about it, you could view Overblow 6 as jsut a downward extension of the blow bends, with an even bigger resonant chamber. Hole 5 and Hole 4 are going to extend that series even further.

Try playing your 6 overblow, and forming a piture of what's going on inside your mouth.

• Where is the constriction point that activates the bend?
• What is you tongue doing to size the chamber?
• How can you make the chamber slightly larger so you can tune it to the lower pitched overblow in Hole 5?

I hope this helps. Let me know how it goes.