Rick Davis
3000 posts
Feb 25, 2014
11:30 AM
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This is my buddy AC Blue at the Ziggies Jam last Sunday. He's playing through a 150-watt solid state Roland keyboard amp and three LW pedals.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Feb 25, 2014 11:32 AM
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The Iceman
1482 posts
Feb 25, 2014
11:53 AM
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I've got two of those keyboard amps (I play keys, too).
They are excellent for harmonica, too. Clean sound, so you gotta dirty it up a bit w/pedals if desired.
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The Iceman
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Rick Davis
3001 posts
Feb 25, 2014
12:27 PM
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AC plays keys. For years he used a Bassman RI for harp. No pedals, with a EV RE-10 mic. I guess he got tired of lugging two big amps around.
Interesting thing about AC: With a 10-hole harp that is diminished tuned he can play in any key. I've heard him do it several times.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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tmf714
2436 posts
Feb 25, 2014
12:57 PM
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Here is how he does it-
Learning Diminished Harmonica Tuning with Phrase Maps - by Brendan Power
One particularly interesting alternate tuning for diatonic harmonica is Diminished Tuning, as it allows you to play full chromatic scales with bends alone (no overblows required). As long as you are good at controlling your bent notes, you can play easily in all 12 keys.
Because it is a symmetrical tuning (every hole has the draw reed one tone above the blow, and the next hole always starts one semitone up), you can move phrases around into different keys and octaves very easily - great for jazz improvisation. As every draw note can be bent a semitone, it’s a very expressive tuning too. Another big advantage of Diminished is that there are only three patterns to learn for any scale or lick!
The tough thing with learning an alternate tuning is mastering the new breath and bending patterns. PHRASE MAPS can help speed the process, because they give clear visual reinforcement to what’s happening with the harp in your mouth. They simply involve making lines between cells in a tuning table, to indicate the path your mouth takes and the breath changes and bends involved.
Phrase Maps really suit the Diminished Tuning, because of its symmetrical nature. Lets look at a pentatonic blues scale (otherwise known as a minor pentatonic scale) to see how it lays out in the three patterns (giving you the scale in all 12 keys!). The scale numbers are 1, b3, 4, 5, b7, 1. Refer to the diagram above if you want to see the names of the notes.
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UK-based New Zealander Brendan Power is acknowledged by many as one of the most creative, skilled & versatile harmonica players around today. Equally at ease on both the earthy Blues Harp as well as the sophisticated Chromatic Harmonica, he tunes them to his own scales to create a highly original style. He has recorded fifteen solo CDs to date, in a wide variety of musical genres. Brendan is employed by Suzuki Musical Instruments Co. of Japan as their International Harmonica Specialist. Click here for more on Brendan Power.
Last Edited by tmf714 on Feb 25, 2014 12:58 PM
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blueswannabe
413 posts
Feb 25, 2014
4:43 PM
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Rick,,he sounds great! He's got game.
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CWinter
115 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:20 PM
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AC Blue is a cool dude. He had a Hammond B3 in a gig case on Sunday evening. Did he ever play that thing Rick?
Last Edited by CWinter on Feb 25, 2014 5:20 PM
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Rick Davis
3002 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:38 PM
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Chris, yeah, that Hammmond sounded awesome.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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CWinter
116 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:54 PM
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I had to get out of there...ran into an old girlfriend that night....ain't that the blues?
Of all the gin joints in the world, she has to walk into the one blues jam that I've been going to for decades....
Last Edited by CWinter on Feb 25, 2014 5:59 PM
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Rick Davis
3003 posts
Feb 25, 2014
5:57 PM
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Chris, LOL. I saw her. Is she stalking you?
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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Rick Davis
3004 posts
Feb 26, 2014
8:24 AM
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In this video Dan Treanor is occasionally using a different pedal: an old H&K Rotosphere. He's playing through his Bassman.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
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HarpNinja
3800 posts
Feb 26, 2014
8:40 AM
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Pedals rule!!!
This is double true if you don't even need to haul the keyboard amp and can use monitors, lol.
Interesting use of the Rotosphere with Dan as he plays a lot of single notes and harmonica riffs - using it like a vibrato effect. I almost always use a rotary effect with octaves or chords only to sound most like an organ.
Cool idea.
The unplugged iPad chord and child's puzzle block are really great tools in managing feedback, FWIW.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
Rock Harmonica Lessons
Last Edited by HarpNinja on Feb 26, 2014 8:42 AM
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rockmonkeyguitars
6 posts
Feb 26, 2014
9:01 AM
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roland AC keyboard amps can be used for just about anything is seems. On it's own I've used mine for for keyboard, vox, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, electric bass, and as a powered monitor speaker for a PA. I have also used it with an amp modeling pedal as an electric guitar amp, bass amp, and harmonica amp.
Last Edited by rockmonkeyguitars on Feb 26, 2014 9:02 AM
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AC
47 posts
Feb 26, 2014
10:50 AM
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Rick - that was a great night of music, visiting with friends and meeting new musicians... and yes, drinking beer. It's a very well run jam.
Mike - I totally agree on the powered monitor, I'm actually saving up for one. I love your pedal board videos, btw.
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Rick Davis
3006 posts
Feb 26, 2014
11:41 AM
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AC, it is always a pleasure to have you join in at the jam.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Feb 26, 2014 12:18 PM
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Rick Davis
3008 posts
Feb 26, 2014
2:33 PM
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This was my rig for the jam: Mission Chicago 32-20 amp, no pedals.
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-Little Rick Davis
The Memphis Mini harp amp
The Blues Harp Amps Blog
The Mile High Blues Society
Last Edited by Rick Davis on Feb 26, 2014 2:34 PM
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