在美国有一位音乐家叫Howard Levy（霍华德.雷力），在他1970年就读美国西北大学时，偶然于练习口琴时发现，吹气的音竟然可以上升（overblow）之后又发现吸气的音也可以上升（overdraw）。这一惊非同小可，他花了大约三年时间，终于能够在Blues口琴上完整地演奏3个8度内的所有半音，也可以在一把口琴上演奏12大小调。这使得口琴在音乐上的表现力更具亲和力。
 
Howard Levy (born July 31, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York City) is an American harmonicist, pianist, composer, and producer. He revolutionized the diatonic harmonica by pioneering a technique that allowed it to be played as a fully chromatic instrument for the first time in history. While being an accomplished pianist in his own right, on the diatonic he unleashed a supreme musicianship never seen before, mastering styles ranging from jazz to classical to traditions around the world. His technical achievements make him one of the instrument's most significant innovators, while his virtuosity make him one of its most extraordinary players. He is probably best known as a founding member of Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, with whom he won a 1997 Grammy Award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for their live recording of their 1991 song &The Sinister Minister&.