What's New: Bending Study 8 - Overbend Study 1, Technique

In this study we’ll define what an overbend is, what notes are available on your harmonica with overbends, how to perform an overblow and provide you with exercises for you to practice overblows on holes 4, 5 and 6.

The focus of this lesson series is to show how traditional blues harmonica players can incorporate overbending into their playing. The exercises and etudes in this study will not sound bluesy at this point—they are exercises to develop technique. You’ll have an opportunity to use these overbends in a bluesy context in Overbend Study 2, where we’ll provide you with a blues harmonica instrumental to study.

We’ll be using the Bb Harmonica for this entire study. As Ross Garren states in the video, a well set up harmonica will help you greatly in the performance of overbends. You can do this yourself by modifying your Bb harmonica (reference the Harp Tech series with Kinya Pollard in the Equipment section, most specifically Studies 4 and 6) or purchase a custom harmonica that’s specifically setup to overbend.

This study is for advanced skill level players or those who feel comfortable with blow bending.