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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! > Mic w/Volume Control- Affect on Tone and Overdrive
Mic w/Volume Control- Affect on Tone and Overdrive
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agarner
13 posts
Apr 02, 2018
6:26 AM
So I have an Epiphone Valve Jr. 5 Watt amp. When I play in the basement while my family sleeps, I have to keep the volume way down. As a result, I get a cleaner sound than I would sometimes like. I played through a modeling amp at Guitar Center last week that was sweet because I got a nice ballsy tone at low volume.

My microphone is a low impedance vocal mic without a volume control. I know that a guitar can control the tone of the amplifier by altering the volume knob on their guitar and I wondered if a microphone with a volume adjust could do similar things?

If I run the amp at a higher volume, and run the mic (with volume control) at a low volume, can I get an "overdriven" sound without waking up my wife and kids?

Last Edited by agarner on Apr 02, 2018 6:30 AM
dougharps
1736 posts
Apr 02, 2018
6:53 AM
If you want an "overdriven" sound that won't wake people up you should use an amp modeler with headphones to practice. To expect to get even a small tube amp like the Epiphone Valve Jr. to break up with overdriven tube sound without generating sufficient volume to wake or annoy others nearby in your home is unrealistic. Turning the mic down and amp up will not get the results you want. It will still be too loud.

Amp modelers can be included as part of an amplifier and in some models plugging in the headphones cuts out the speaker, so all that is heard in the room is acoustic harp cupped against the mic. Or an amp modeler can be a stand alone multi-effects/modeler unit with outputs you can use to an amp or PA when you wish and a headphone jack for quiet practice. A clean mic works well with modelers. Since you already have an amp, I suggest a stand alone effects/modeling unit.

However, practicing with a modeler with headphones will NOT help you learn to manage volume without feedback, since you have to have the volume in the room to learn to manage the mic. You can get some very interesting sounds through headphones that would feedback like crazy if played through an amplifier.

I do not think you can get the sound you want with a tube amp without generating enough volume that will bother your family.
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Doug S.
agarner
14 posts
Apr 02, 2018
10:46 AM
Thanks Doug. Acoustic harp it is!!!
hvyj
3563 posts
Apr 02, 2018
4:21 PM
A VC used in the manner you describe is more useful for controlling FEEDBACK. For example, some tube amps need to be turned up to a certain level before they come alive and produce optimally good tone. But at that volume setting you may feedback. So...you leave the amp turned up to its sweet spot and back off the VC on the mic to attenuate or cool out the input signal which will control or eliminate feedback.
bublnsqueak
95 posts
Apr 03, 2018
7:20 PM
I've had a lot of success with an L pad Attenuator with my small tube amps:
https://www.esr.co.uk/electronics/loudspeakers10.htm

They go between the amp and speaker. I've only ever seen them for 8ohm speakers though.

They allow you to drive the amp with the volume control while turning down the speaker and protecting the amp.
Not difficult to fit at all.

I have one built into my combi and another in a hobby box to sit between the head and cab in my other setup.

Paul


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