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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > competing with horn section
competing with horn section
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groyster1
2439 posts
Oct 13, 2013
8:36 AM
I recently went to my 45th high school reunion where the remaining members of a beach music band played...I got up on stage for Kansas city where I played an Eb harp through a PA....there were 3 horn players playing....needless to say,they drowned me out....any similar experiences?
Joe_L
2348 posts
Oct 13, 2013
9:08 AM
Nope. Haven't been to a 45th high school reunion.

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Greg Heumann
2412 posts
Oct 13, 2013
9:09 AM
That's up to the sound guy.

I love playing with horn sections.

But I can't stand going to all that work to not be heard. So I always bring my own big bad ass amp.
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Last Edited by Greg Heumann on Oct 13, 2013 9:09 AM
Frank
2990 posts
Oct 13, 2013
10:01 AM
Always have a police whistle when you take the stage, and as soon as you realize its a lost cause - blow it,loud and hard...everyone in the band will stop and look at you, the audience also... and that's when you do a lightning fast descending lick from the 10 blow to 1 draw and immediately begin holding a long intense killer vibrato on the 2 draw...once the applause begins to fade- do another fast run to the top register - then look at everybody and say - okay boys, lets take it from five, i'll count us in...stomp you foot real hard to set the tempo and bust a move - your classmates will love you:)
FMWoodeye
801 posts
Oct 13, 2013
10:37 AM
Besides my harps and amp, I always bring a trombone and a trumpet. I play the horns through an Ultimate 57. I will be heard, one way or another.
groyster1
2442 posts
Oct 13, 2013
2:55 PM
maybe I can bring my moose horn next time
Frank
2998 posts
Oct 13, 2013
6:43 PM
This poor guy did'nt have a prayer either :(
Joe_L
2354 posts
Oct 13, 2013
7:17 PM
I agree with what Greg said. Playing with horns rocks! If you are the singer, you won't have to worry about it, use the vocal mic. If not, you had better hope the sound guy is a good friend.

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groyster1
2446 posts
Oct 13, 2013
8:00 PM
unfortunately did not know him at all....and the only way I would sing would be behind chicken wire
HarveyHarp
531 posts
Oct 14, 2013
8:03 AM
When I interact with horn players, which happens frequently down here is New Orleans, I always make it a point to play with the horn players, not against them. You can feel it when you get it right, and so can they. They even will comment on it after the song. I was in a second line a few weeks ago for a fallen musician legend, and I took the appropriate key harps(G, Ad, Bd, Ed, and F, in a belt pack with one of the Harbour Freight little Megaphones, and marched and played right with the horn players. We had a great time. When we got to the end of the Second Line we marched into a bar and directly on stage, and I grabbed a vocal mike and we continued most of the night.

To sum it up, play with and like a horn player, and you will have a great time.
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Frank
3004 posts
Oct 14, 2013
8:46 AM
nacoran
7231 posts
Oct 14, 2013
11:17 AM
Frank, I think some sound guy somewhere should lose his membership to the sound guy club over that one!

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Nate
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Frank
3011 posts
Oct 14, 2013
11:20 AM
Yeah Nate - it looked like he had his amp mic'd - but still was playing "air harmonica" :)
STME58
558 posts
Oct 14, 2013
5:07 PM
@FMWoodeye,

I was thinking along the lines of your post, however I am as a loss on a trombone without music in front of me. I'm working on it though. Perhaps the next time I go to a jam I will have a horn in my arsenal, and know how to use it. I just got a mini P-bone in Eb and am working on blues licks. It's not as small as a harp but its a lot easier to carry around than my Conn 48H.
FMWoodeye
802 posts
Oct 14, 2013
5:24 PM
@STEME58....Yeah, learning to play in "guitar keys" is a pain, too.
STME58
560 posts
Oct 14, 2013
6:02 PM
Had and extra trumpet (3 instead of 2) in our brass quintet today and it reminded me of this thread. I mentioned it and one of the trumpeters had a slight modification to FMwoodeyes advice. He suggested that if the horns drown out you harp, you pull out a trombone and strike the loudest musician with it!
capnj
172 posts
Oct 14, 2013
7:56 PM
If you can't play with them,just like 2 or 3 guitar players,try to find a pocket.Yes with Greg bring a bigger amp,or sound guy massaging.F77k em go under them for awhile,then go on top when they rest if attitude horn players are a problem yeah Frank 10-1.I like what harvey said bring all keys so at least fit in.And Yeah practice horn lines,just saw Curtis Salgado play with a full horn section,he nails horn lines,or sometmes lays out to put the final touches with the harp,leader of the band helps.


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