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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
What do you take on stage with you?
What do you take on stage with you?
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Philosofy
620 posts
Nov 23, 2014
5:50 PM
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I have an idea for a lightweight, sturdy, folding table to take onstage. It would set up in about a second, and I'm thinking of making it wide enough to stand over an amp. I may even be able to put it on wheels, so when its folded it can serve as a hand truck/dolly for an amp.
I'm thinking of compartments for a drink/water bottle, towel, microphone holder (for both bullet and stick), and compartments for several harps. This table will also be able to hold a hard sided harp case.
What are your essentials for a gig, and how many harps do you need at your fingertips?
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jbone
1809 posts
Nov 23, 2014
9:38 PM
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I set my case on a chair, a briefcase, or the floor. I sit to play as does Jolene so it's convenient. We take 2 Champs, a Fender Passport p.a., 3 mic stands, a music stand, our chairs, my harp case, and one or two guitars for Jo, an alligator briefcase for cables, mics, etc.
My harp case has several spares and most keys, at any rate all the keys I may need for a night. Diatonics and chromatics as well.
I get a water or iced tea where we're playing. As does Jolene if she wants. I use mics with either a volume pot or on/off switch so the mic can either rest on a stand or in my open case when it's not in use.
We've pretty well got things how they work for us.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbTwvU-EN1Q
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arnenym
316 posts
Nov 24, 2014
2:44 AM
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I got my harpcase on a stand. I have a steelplate with a welded mount on the bottom of my case. Something to drink i place on the floor and hang a towel in the handle of the harpcase
Click on the picture..
Last Edited by arnenym on Nov 24, 2014 2:47 AM
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didjcripey
846 posts
Nov 24, 2014
3:22 AM
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Apart from my music gear,
a beer.
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Lucky Lester
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LittleBubba
314 posts
Nov 24, 2014
10:04 AM
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I take a small gearbag on stage that includes backup gear (which we all have, or should have); but I always have a spare 9-volt battery in there 'cuz, even though I don't need one, somebody else occasionally seems to need one, lol.
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Martic
116 posts
Nov 24, 2014
10:09 AM
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I carry the harmonicas in a pouch bag and on stage I put them in a slotted table, mounted on a sheet stand.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/10712710_10203532985618225_6240694289612754685_n.jpg?oh=5c2ad713baff31e6357a01af08064d93&oe=5508EC88&__gda__=1427777649_d4d13501dc00a107cc4974cb720ee596
Sometimes I use a homemade pedalboard, and sometimes I just place the delay on top of my amp. I only drink water when I'm playing.
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The Iceman
2253 posts
Nov 24, 2014
10:29 AM
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Confidence.
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The Iceman
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hvyj
2595 posts
Nov 24, 2014
3:50 PM
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True story: I'm in the house band for a Sunday night jam and there's a couple of harp players who come in and set up more equipment than I have furniture in my living room. My personal favorite is the guy who sets up a wireless receiver, a string of pedals (no board), a tiny 5 watt amp, a mic with a boom stand to mic the amp, cable for the boom mic, and at leadt 3 harp mics, and then spends his entire time on stage complaining that he can't hear himself.
Now, the band is a pretty hard rocking group and this guy is stubbornly oblivious to the reality that a 5 watt amp with tiny speakers will never be heard on stage next to the other instruments. When I try to tell him that, he looks at me like I'm from another planet and tells me firmly: "But I mic it" Go figure...
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Jim Rumbaugh
1052 posts
Nov 25, 2014
5:07 AM
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I so something I learned at Augustat Blues week in Elkins , WV
As the leader, I take the set list on a folded piece of paper.I take a regular 7" by 11", print the list, and fold it so it's only 3 1/2" by 11". I use some spring clamp to hold the list on whatever mic stand is in front of me. That long narrow list just looks better than a standard piece of paper.
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theharmonicaclub.com (of Huntington, WV)
Last Edited by Jim Rumbaugh on Nov 25, 2014 5:07 AM
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Littoral
1164 posts
Nov 25, 2014
5:44 AM
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I'm always looking for the right place to put my harps because the venue is always different. I've considered the right table so I'd like to see your described version. Otherwise, Iceman's answer is it, confidence.
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hvyj
2596 posts
Nov 27, 2014
2:10 AM
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Re: table. Roland makes a laptop stand that can be used as a nice little table if you don't put on the brackets that are meant to hold the laptop. It's small, but for duo gigs which I play seated, it's perfect. I put my Seydel hard case on it with my harps in the slots and they are accessible. It has a folding tripod stand And the table height is adjustable. Table collapses for transport. Maybe not big enough for those who like to spread out everything on the table top, but certainly adequate to hold my open case. Very compact.
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jbone
1811 posts
Nov 27, 2014
7:00 AM
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RE: stage volume. I have adopted the Fender Vibro Champ as my usual amp, but the difference here is I am in a duo, and we also have the same amp for my partner. We'll be recording a cd with those amps. a drummer, and bassist, in a couple of weeks. This will require minimal volumes but Jolene can't "do" big volume so it's going to work out. We are well aware that 5 watts through an 8" speaker is going to go just so loud.
I've had everything up to and including a 4x10 Bassman on a jam stage and as a gigging amp with an electric band, and it seems to me there is always going to be an issue. This is not an indictment, it's just a fact. Harmonica freqs tend to get lost on a lot of stages.
When I do hit a jam these days I use the house harp guy's rig or a p.a. channel with a sm58, or just a vocal mic.
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http://www.reverbnation.com/jawboneandjolene
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000386839482
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbTwvU-EN1Q
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A440
255 posts
Nov 27, 2014
7:03 AM
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I attach a K&M tray to my mic stand, with a set of harps laid out in order.
http://www.thomann.de/gb/km_12212_notenablage_schwarz.htm
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Barley Nectar
574 posts
Nov 27, 2014
9:50 AM
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I built a folding X table out of 1/2" trade size conduit. 32" tall. Has wood top with one cleat and 2 web straps. Set the harp case, barley flavored drink and pedal on the stand. Pefect...BN
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dougharps
780 posts
Nov 27, 2014
11:32 AM
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If I am not bringing the PA, speakers, stands, mic stands, etc. for a paying gig I just bring harps (including backups), Ultimate 58 or Fireball V, and a cheap metal folding stool, cushion removed, to act as a table. If I am singing, mic stand if needed, music stand with clamp on percussion stand (leaving stool at home), and lyrics, set list, and cheat sheets.
Edited to finish post after eating turkey, etc.
I always bring an extra mic and cable(s) for a paying gig. If it is an amplified blues or rock gig, I bring one of several amps depending on the size of the room. For louder gigs when I bring an amp with a speaker that can handle the power, I may bring the EH 44 magnum amp as a backup for my tube amps. I sometimes bring a 9V battery and a guitar cable for guitar player emergencies.
I recently played a gig in a medium venue at which the venue had cancelled the sound man without notice to us, because the next band said they didn't need a sound man. No mics, mic stands, cables, or sound man when we set up. I keep a home built mic stand (built from a practice pad stand!) with a goose neck in my truck, usually used to mic amps. I used that for my vocal mic with my Ultimate 58 and the cable I brought just in case. As usual I used my 585AV to my amp, which was a '61 Gibson Explorer. With a 10" Lil' Buddy it was able to cut through the mix to the whole room when on the edge of feedback volume. I also had a SM57 and more cable the guitar player could have used for vocals, but he couldn't sing as his voice hadn't recovered from a cold, so we didn't bother with it. The guitar player uses a high end modeling & effects unit with a 10" QSC powered speaker, so his rig easily played the room. So we didn't mic the amps or drums (drums really didn't need it, and never do in a medium room!) The bass was plenty. We played the gig with only my vocals in the PA, and it worked out just fine.
Be prepared if it is a paying gig. Bring extras.
P.S. For a jam I bring just harps, maybe a mic, and some lyrics. I would like to be able to sing them all from memory, but I forget where I left it...
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Nov 27, 2014 2:07 PM
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Georgia Blues
136 posts
Nov 30, 2014
10:21 PM
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Carry two freshly cleaned harps in all the keys we play, two vintage bullets and cords in a case. Two or three throw away harps if somebody just NEEDS to sit in without bringing their own gear.
One double Jack neat and a tall glass of water and I'm set for the evening.
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dougharps
781 posts
Nov 30, 2014
10:25 PM
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You don't bring an amp?
I usually choose a double Blantons, Knob Creek, or perhaps Maker's Mark neat and a glass of water. Lasts up to 3 or 4 hours with a refill on water!
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Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Nov 30, 2014 10:29 PM
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