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beginner forum: for novice and developing blues harp players > Sonny Blake
Sonny Blake
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MindTheGap
1480 posts
Apr 16, 2016
2:39 AM
And back to the music. I came across this by Sonny Blake, and I like it. Singing and playing through the same mic, no mess no fuss, wonderful classic blues phrases. It's from the BBC's archive blues collection definitely worth a look...

bbc4_blues_collection

In fact it's the drumming I'm especially interested in, as it's the style I'm trying to learn.


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Last Edited by MindTheGap on Apr 16, 2016 2:40 AM
Truth2012
40 posts
Apr 16, 2016
3:39 AM
I like it. Nice and simple. My type of blues.
I especially like his trousers!
Killa_Hertz
1080 posts
Apr 16, 2016
8:13 AM
Looks like a 545. James Cotton mic. Ive got one. Its not real dirty, but would be great for this. You can get em pretty cheap. There Hi Z. They Have a model wuth a VC that's usually a bit more.


I dig this playing. Good stuff. Kinda sounds a bit James Cotton. Sound similar to a clean version of Cotton Crop Blues. Same sort of beat and everything.
Half time clean version of cotton crop. Whatcha think?




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Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Apr 16, 2016 8:16 AM
MindTheGap
1483 posts
Apr 16, 2016
10:45 AM
That video doesn't work for me, but I can see what you mean. Similar vibe with lighter touch. As for the mic, isn't it more like the Shure 585 with that mesh ball on it? Not that I've ever seen one in the flesh.

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Last Edited by MindTheGap on Apr 16, 2016 10:52 AM
Killa_Hertz
1083 posts
Apr 16, 2016
11:52 PM
Yes im sorry 585. 545 is another beast entirely. I wish i had a 545.

Yea it just reminded of it i guess.

I dig the bbc stuff. Ill have to dig up some one of these days.
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SuperBee
3617 posts
Apr 17, 2016
12:19 AM
I like the Sonny Blake clip. Interesting how that mic responds to the...split chord I guess it is...he does it a couple times...in the 7th measure I think. He plays what I think is a split with some throat effect...vibrato...and the mic output is lower...I guess it just loses the sharp edge.
Anyway...I like what he played and I enjoy those small combos with piano.
James Cotton...I think cotton was a very loud player...not sure why I think that other than that he 'sounds' loud...but I think I've read he was hard on harps. I heard him live a couple years ago...I was 14 rows from the stage which was close enough that I could've heard him quite well un amplified. As it was, I feared for my hearing when he played high end 1st position...which he seemed to do a lot.
Now I must follow the link...
SuperBee
3618 posts
Apr 17, 2016
12:25 AM
Can't watch those BBC links out side uk...glum face
Killa_Hertz
1089 posts
Apr 17, 2016
10:17 AM
I can watch it here in the states. I
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MindTheGap
1491 posts
Apr 18, 2016
12:37 AM
Shame you can see them Superbee, all kinds of good things there - can you see the listing i.e. what you're missing?

As for the mic/sound I like it. And I like the simplicity of it. I've put time, effort and money into trying to get that cupped, refined sound, I guess with the Dave Barrett sound as a target. That's been fun, but part of me says to hell with it and just play it straight. It simply sounds like a harmonica, with a bit of grit.

Last Edited by MindTheGap on Apr 18, 2016 1:36 AM
SuperBee
3619 posts
Apr 18, 2016
4:51 AM
Yes indeed I can see the lists and very interesting. I can see the sonny Blake video just the BBC iview won't play outside uk.
585 was the mic I first sought...not sure if I told the story already...a player named Ron king recommended it so I asked for it in a music shop. I didn't realise it was discontinued. They had no idea but convinced me he probably meant 58S. The 58 is a good mic and I'm glad to have it.
I did eventually get a 585, in a box of mics Jon Atkinson sent me after a mix up in the post...it had a damaged connector, and I sent it for work but I'm not convinced it's really working as it was intended. Mine is a lowZ mic but they also made HiZ models.
Killa_Hertz
1093 posts
Apr 18, 2016
5:27 AM
Yea mine is Hiz. But they are relatively clean sounding still. They don't sound super dirty.


BBC GOT TILL MIDNIGHT TO WATCH

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Last Edited by Killa_Hertz on Apr 18, 2016 7:55 PM
MindTheGap
1492 posts
Apr 18, 2016
6:23 AM
I'm sure it's the playing style as well as the mic, and he's sure to be using a tube amp as well. But ta for the info. If he can sing into it and play it cupped too, I guess it can't respond much to cupping so that's interesting - having just been obsessed with mics that do.

Thanks for the PFOS vid. I actually bought this, and it's pretty good I think. Although it fell short of what I wanted - and myself I don't like the style of cutting between talking heads on each sentence. It's supposed to giive it pace. My roots are in a slower, gentler age. I like my documentaries slow, laborious and full of detail.

I cite Look Around You. It's a comedy BTW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk1ELdPIN4A

Last Edited by MindTheGap on Apr 18, 2016 6:29 AM
Killa_Hertz
1102 posts
Apr 19, 2016
4:06 AM
Yes. I thought it was pretty good. considering its really the only thing of its kinda that i know of.

But I really would like to see alot more detail on each thing they brought up. They could have turned it into a series. There was surely more than an hours worth of things to cover an entire instrument.

MTG I thought of you when Magic Dick brought up the "Things Coming together and It RINGS LIKE A BELL"

Im craving more of that show. Really wish there was more to watch. Nothing too extra on the DVD?
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MindTheGap
1499 posts
Apr 19, 2016
7:43 AM
I agree. I wish they'd put out an edit with all the complete individual interviews.

I'll have to re-watch it now to find the Rings Like a Bell bit!


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