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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Pedal recomendations for volume boost
Pedal recomendations for volume boost
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2chops
114 posts
Feb 19, 2013
6:35 PM
The group I play in consists of an acoustic guitarist, bassist, drummer and yours truely on harp. Part of what I do is a lot of what a lead guitarist would do durring the longer instrumental sections of the song. We run a good mix throught the board so nobody gets drowned out. Having said all that, last night durring practice, our drummer asked if I ever used a booster pedal to put my harp out front durring my solos. Never have but I like the idea. So my question is, what would be a good pedal for this. My current set up is my sm57 into the board. Highs turned way down and mids & bass turned up. Not concerned with effects so much as the occasional needed boost in volume.

Your suggestions are appreciated.
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I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
dted
30 posts
Feb 19, 2013
7:23 PM
Buy one of Greg Heumann's (BlowsMeAway.com) XLR volume controls--- they work great. Just turn it up for solos. I think $65.00 ??? Better than a boost pedal.
I have 2 of them.
----dted
SuperBee
938 posts
Feb 19, 2013
7:32 PM
I'd support that endorsement of Greg's product, and it definitely could work.
There are such things as volume pedals though. Brod Smith recommended one to me, can't recall the brand soz.
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dougharps
339 posts
Feb 19, 2013
9:04 PM
You didn't say if you hand hold the mic or not. If you play with the SM57 in a mic stand you could just set your initial volume when playing back from the mic and get closer to it when you solo. If you play with the mic in hand, you can use a loose cup and play softly, then cup tightly and play louder when soloing. Neither of these cost anything and just use technique, but may risk feedback issues, depending on the room, monitoring approach, and volume of your band.

I really like having volume control with a handheld mic. All my favorite mics have volume control because it lets you cut back if the PA starts ringing, and lets you have more control without adjusting the PA. I like using my inline XLR volume control from Greg with a 57 or e835. I like my Ultimate 58, my Audix Fireball V, and 585AV with a matching transformer. My ceramic biscuit mic has one of Greg's Hi Z volume controls.

If you are satisfied with the sound you get going to the PA with the 57, and you aren't looking for effects, use either technique alone, or technique with a volume control. These are the simplest and lease expensive ways to go.

If you want to add effects as well as volume control you could get an impedance transformer and use any one of a number of guitar effects units or pre-amps or EQ pedals or DI boxes that let you set levels and/or allow you to switch effects. You could also use one of the available vocal processors for effects and levels without changing impedance with a transformer.

But if you like your sound, keep it simple, use a volume control.
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Doug S.
2chops
115 posts
Feb 20, 2013
9:17 AM
@Doug...I hold the mic for almost all songs. Only acouple when I put it in the stand to be able to do fade backs and hand effects. I also do a lot of grip adjustments to shape the sound when holding the mic. What these guys want is for me to be able to really get out front and wail, then go back to my normal volume.

To be honest, I forgot about Greg's in line control. Which would actually be a better fit for me than a pedal. Especially when I do my OMB thing and play and sing through the same mic. Need my feet free to stomp out rhythms. I' slowly building my arsenal of gadgetry as funds allow. Thanks guys.
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You Tube = goshinjk

I'm workin on it. I'm workin on it.
TetonJohn
79 posts
Feb 20, 2013
9:26 AM
Above suggestions are good. Just another thought: you could get a lone wolf Harp Attack leaving it in bypass most of the time and stomp it on for your solos. Would color your tone some in your solos, but you could set it for pretty clean (but a bit of tone change along with volume boost for solos could be cool anyway).

Last Edited by TetonJohn on Feb 20, 2013 9:29 AM
dougharps
340 posts
Feb 20, 2013
9:48 PM
@2chops
If I am being a side man when using my Low Z mics I usually set my initial volume control level at 2/3 to 3/4 so I can adjust upward as needed during solos.

If I am also singing through the mic at a gig, I adjust it pretty hot for vocals with volume initially wide open. I sing back from the mic with it wide open, then cut volume when cupping to play harp, adjusting as needed to have strong solos. Vocals (and harp on solos) should be out front in the mix, but you don't want the audience members' ears to bleed.

A useful mic effect is to cut back on the volume control and then play strong with a tight cup: you can get a nice compressed sound without being really loud. And of course you can still play softer and louder and adjust your grip for effects as you have been.

One last suggestion that I have been incorporating in my own playing/singing since attending a Corky Siegel workshop several years ago: use dynamics! His whole workshop was about dynamics, whether singing or playing an instrument. The volume control on a harp mic can allow you to really adjust levels. You can come in strong, then bring your volume and the band's volume way down, then bring it back up. Dynamics really can be used to great effect when performing music with an audience.
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Doug S.

Last Edited by dougharps on Feb 20, 2013 9:49 PM
Bart Leczycki
85 posts
Feb 21, 2013
2:11 AM
I use Volume pot from Greg and Boss GE7 (for loud tunes). It works :o)
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www.bleczycki.com


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