"also i need better equipment im just run thru the P.A"
So what. FWIW, I don't think there's anything wrong with playing through the PA, especially for what is essentially an acoustic style gig. A good quality harp friendly XLR style mic is the only equipment that you really need. But you are getting a very decent sound using that SM 58 vocal mic or whatever mic it is that you are playing through. And for your style of play, you would want to set up fairly clean anyway. Everything sounds great.
oo i c hvyj. so when would i use diffrent gear? also how can i get it so that i dont have to hold the microphone i want to be able to play the harmonica away from the mic so i can do my wah wahs any suggestions????????
I don't know what you are using, but something like an sm58 works fine for me. I'm sure there will be plenty of guys here who know better. Maybe you should buy your sound guy a beer?
i like an sm57 for harp in p.a., it's unidirectional as opposed to a 58 which is omnidirectional. the small head and slightly different element also allows for some good effect from compression by cupping. to get more pickup ie further from the mic is about gain setting on the p.a. channel. take care to not go too far or feedback becomes an issue, but it will work. i usually have the highs cut, and the mids, and maybe bring the low end up some. all in all it sounded pretty good to my ear. i have been asked to back off when the singer is singing or another instrument is doing a solo but other than that, nice work.
Personally, i always play with a cupped mic, never "in air." But if you want to do hand wahs, do what jbone is suggesting: use a unidirectional mic like an SM 57 or a 545, leave it on the stand and turn up the gain or "pad" on the PA board which makes the mic more sensitive. But this will also make the mic too "hot" to cup.
Personally, i think harp sounds better into a cupped mic, and you can still do "wahs" by opening the heel of your palms. But other players prefer the sound they get playing "in air" or uncupped. There is no right or wrong to this. It just depends on how you WANT to sound.
Last Edited by on May 15, 2011 12:06 AM
i c well im just going to try and improve my cupped wah wahs then. i dont have too much experience with it. thanks for the advice. and i will defently by my sound guy a bear!! lol
