SonnyD4885
153 posts
Oct 11, 2011
11:45 AM
|
what is your set up? what do you use on stage and at home? does it differ? or do you do the same thing?
i just have my encore 65 hooked up to a mic and stand with no delay. and when i go out and play i just bring my harps with a mic and a chord and use there p.a. which is ok.
|
5F6H
890 posts
Oct 11, 2011
2:10 PM
|
Ooooh you've done it now...you'll really wish you hadn't asked....:-)
Recently moving into an apartment & having to be mindful of my neighbours...mostly...well, when sober... I line out my half watt amp into my tube hi-fi amp, so I can have a CD playing & have my harp come back to me through my Hi Fi speakers at a level that is no louder & sits perfectly with the recorded medium. I do this at anytime of the day or night when I might normally be watching TV or listening to CDs.
During daylight hours/weekends, I might practice for short bursts on small amplifers (<1W up to 5W). This is because when I practice at home, only I need to really hear it...my neighbours can hear it & will pipe up if it is a nuisance but to plug in an amp capable of tens, or hundreds of Watts is simply unsociable where I live (in fact, wherever I lived it was, but I was younger, more driven & didn't give a shit then...you might be lucky & not have adjoining/hearing neighbours).
Playing out, not that I do that much any more, but when I did there might be several, dozens or even more ..:-o!...people who expect to hear what you are doing, over the background of crowd chatter, drums with sticks, electric bass, piano & guitars. Now, this is the time to get out the amp (a PA is an amp for the purposes of this post) capable of tens of Watts upwards (or a smaller amp mic'd/lined out).
It's basically all about the environment and the actual dB needed/wanted/not wanted for the situation. Also, I'd say stick with a format that you know & are comfortable with...be open to new methods...but if you are competant, with a little ingenuity & experimentation, you may be able to gt your "home" rig cooking on a stage (I while away hours plugging this into that, then back into this etc...it's not everyone's idea of fun however)...or you might plump for the "tried & tested" route...the choice is yours.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
|
hvyj
1848 posts
Oct 11, 2011
2:15 PM
|
My set up depends on the gig--the type of music and, to a certain extent (since balance is important), what sort of rig the guitar player is using.
|
Joe_L
1516 posts
Oct 11, 2011
2:43 PM
|
My setups are very simple. I have four. Here are the first three.
1. Home/recording - tweed Champ clone and a mic.
2. Small/medium club - Harpgear Double Trouble and a mic.
3. Medium/large club - Super Sonny and a mic.
Like 5F6H, I don't play outside the house often. I really like to travel light. I have some pedals. I rarely use them outside the house anymore.
Quite often, I will use option 4.
4. Use what's available. If I am sitting in with someone and they are a harp player, I use their gear. If I am sitting in with someone and they don't have a harp player, I am very comfortable playing through a PA and a vocal mic.
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
|
hvyj
1850 posts
Oct 11, 2011
4:16 PM
|
Rig #1: Fender Super Reverb Reissue w/3 pedal board: MicroPOG (w/Analogman true bypass mod)>RetroSonic Chorus/Vibrato>Wampler Faux Analog Echo (delay pedal)>amp. Sometimes w/o pedalboard. Mic=545 Ultimate (lo-z thru IMT). Some tube swaps on amp. Amp tubed w/JJs. Board=Pedaltrain Nano powered w/One Spot.
Rig #2: SWR Baby Baby Blue w/5 pedal board: RetroSonic Phaser>MicroPOG (stock)>DLS RotoSim>Loooper custom A/B pedal (to select between outputs from RotoSim)>MXR Carbon Copy Delay>amp. Occasionally w/o pedalboard but with Carbon Copy in effects loop. Mic=545 Ultimate (lo-z thru IMT). Board=Pedaltrain Mini powered w/OneSpot. Pedalboard is between mic and amp.
Rig #3: Fender Princeton Reverb Reissue. Mic=545 Ultimate (lo-z thru IMT) OR hi-Z 545 (customized w/volume control and guitar cord jack). Sometimes, but rarely, w/ 3 pedal board. Usually just mic into amp. Tilt back legs on amp. Amp tubed w/JJs but no tube swaps
Rig #4: lo-z 545 Utimate direct to PA OR thru T.C. Helicon Voice Tone R-1 Reverb pedal>PA.
OR, whatever is available if I'm just sitting in. But I don't like using a bullet mic if I can avoid it.
I play out quite a bit these days. I always play electric with a cupped mic when I perform. I don't usually plug in when i practice at home, though. If i do, it's usually with the Princeton or the SWR.
Last Edited by on Oct 11, 2011 6:20 PM
|
SonnyD4885
156 posts
Oct 11, 2011
6:23 PM
|
Thanks you guys have more than me
|
waltertore
1546 posts
Oct 11, 2011
6:32 PM
|
I am probably the bare bones guy here. I have no set up. I use the vocal mic for my harp with both recordings and live. Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
|
Joe_L
1517 posts
Oct 11, 2011
6:38 PM
|
I could easily get away with less stuff. Its not about how much stuff you have. Its about what you do with what you've got.
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
|
Steamrollin Stan
97 posts
Oct 11, 2011
7:34 PM
|
I have a ten buck lapel mic plugged into my computor, i support it on a stick about 12" away resting on the table, i record using Audacity then make some minor adjustments with volume/ little delay etc, then i export whatever i need to mp3 file and bingo!! i'm done. I live in a home unit and the neighbours dont really hear that much at all. Its done without any fancy gear whatsoever,i have a bottle O blues mic and a smokey amp for fun, but they seem a bit loud at home.
@Joe-L, How true, i often upload to Harmonica boogie.com and seem to manage with things, Several players in here also do the same, but i'm the cheapest as far as equipment goes.
|
Joe_L
1518 posts
Oct 11, 2011
7:48 PM
|
Hi Stan,
Most of my last uploads there have been straight into the computer. I can't find the parts to interface my amp with the computer, so lately its been straight into the computer using the onboard mic.
Cheers,
joe
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
Last Edited by on Oct 11, 2011 7:49 PM
|
hvyj
1851 posts
Oct 11, 2011
7:52 PM
|
Yeah. it's about being able to get the sound you are after, it's not about the hardware. For years, my primary set up was just an EV RE-15 straight into the PA. I've always had amps, but I only began using amps heavily about 4 or 5 years ago when i started sitting in with jazz bands that had no PA. After that, I started fooling around with pedalboard electronics and liked some of the sounds i could get from the gizmos. Then i began gigging regularly and had to pay more attention to the sound I was getting from the equipment i was using.
Originally, i didn't use a pedalboard with my Super. I started using the SRRI regularly when the guitar player in my blues band got an amp with 2x12s so I began using 4x10s for more presence to be better balanced with the guitar. But the musicians i was playing with missed the rotary sound and MicroPOG sound I had been getting when i was using my SWR. They wanted me to continue to use those effects on certain tunes. The SRRI is finicky about pedals, so I wound up putting together a separate little pedalboard configured to get those effects to sound good through that amp. That was a little expensive, but it works pretty well and the guys i play with like it.
I'm cool with just playing into the PA, but I think one gets a "heavier" tone from an amp and i think I usually sound more in balance with the rest of the instruments using an amp. I'm real comfortable with the gear i have. i know what sounds i can get from each rig and they are all pretty reliable. i haven't changed anything around for a while and it's fun to be able to select the right tool for the particular job, so I think I'm getting my money's worth from everything. I enjoy playing through the gear i have, but it's not about how much hardware a player has.
Btw, the TC Helicon Voice Tone R-1 is new. It's a decent reverb, not great, BUT it's a guitar pedal sized reverb unit with XLR input and output jacks--I use a lo-z mic, so the R-1 is very useful for going into a PA that has no effects or only a master reverb that may not be turned on. I don't like playing dry, so it's handy to have.
Most of my playing is with other musicians. I don't know how to upload to a computer.
Last Edited by on Oct 11, 2011 8:19 PM
|
5F6H
892 posts
Oct 12, 2011
2:23 AM
|
Walter wrote: "I am probably the bare bones guy here. I have no set up. I use the vocal mic for my harp with both recordings and live. Walter"
Hmmm, I'd be very surprised if you didn't plug the mic into something...like EVERYONE else?
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
|
waltertore
1547 posts
Oct 12, 2011
3:18 AM
|
5F6H: You are right. On small club gigs I have a passport deluxe 250 PA. I plug in a audix clone of a shure 58. I play off the mic with a rack and hold it off with my hands if I have it off the rack. I sing through the mic as well. the eq is set to neutral. Larger rooms and festivals I use whatever mics they have. When I record I do the same thing with either an AKG C414 and am about to try an Electrovoice R20 because it does not grab the highs like most mics do. That all goes into a universal audio 6176 preamp/compressor and that into an M Audio firewall and then into my computer. No effects on it live and only reverb on the studio stuff. Distorted harp doesn't hold my interst for long. Walter
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 4:47 AM
|
hvyj
1852 posts
Oct 12, 2011
5:51 AM
|
@waltertore: Tell us a little about the preamp/compressor. That looks like an interesting piece of gear.. Do you only use for recording or do you also use it live?
Btw, I also find distorted harp uninteresting for the most part.
|
HarpNinja
1760 posts
Oct 12, 2011
6:01 AM
|
PA's and active speakers are way underrated for harmonica. My QSC K10 can keep up with a 4x10 in volume and feel (great bass response).
You can plug just about any effects into them and they sound great....in addition, there isn't much feedback.
----------
Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
|
hvyj
1853 posts
Oct 12, 2011
6:09 AM
|
@HarpNinja: Dane Paul Russell (Bobby Parker's harp player) uses a pair of powered speakers.
|
waltertore
1548 posts
Oct 12, 2011
6:10 AM
|
hvyj: Here is a link to it. I use it only for recording. The preamp is a classic reissue. I got a heck of a deal on it when I bought it. It came with a universal audio UAD2 quad card which goes for $1,500 and it also had a voucher for $50 towards thier plugins. I got an email from universal audio yesterday with another great deal. If you buy a LA 610 preamp/compressor you get a UAD2 card worth $900. I may buy one (have one already and dig it) and sell the card. I could probably get $700 at least for it. That would bring that unit down to $900 or less if I can get them to give me 20% off (they usually do). Live I go straight through the PA. Recording the harp and vocals through the same mic is a real challenge. The harp likes the highs cut and the vocals like them boosted. I have gone through lots of mic/preamp combinations trying to find one that does a decent job of preserving the natural sound of each. I have been using an AKGC414 mic for recording. It does a great job on both, but not together. I just got a use electrovoice r20 mic and will be trying it out as soon as my recording computer gets back from the shop. The motherboard messed up. Walter
http://www.uaudio.com/hardware/channel-strips/6176.html
----------
walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 6:11 AM
|
HawkeyeKane
258 posts
Oct 12, 2011
7:41 AM
|
You know, I keep reading threads like these...
My two main rigs right now are:
A: Peavey H5C and Heumannized Kalamazoo Model 2 with the signature Heumann line out to the PA
B: Akai DM13 and Peavey Vypyr 15 mic'd into the PA. (This rig may change soon depending on how I like the Ampex Model 1101 I just got on ebay)
Have I been brainwashed by my guitarist friends? I only seem to go for guitar amps for my rigs. And they sound great, but I just keep reading these threads about Harpgears and Sonnys and Ketricks and Bulletproofs...and truth be told, I've never played on, or even heard a harp-based amp in person before. But I keep reading that everyone seems to love them. I'm starting to get the feeling that I should just start saving my money and be looking into the world of harp amps.
Someone give me your thoughts on this and tell me if I'm on or off base here.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 7:44 AM
|
5F6H
894 posts
Oct 12, 2011
8:26 AM
|
Any recorded amplified harp you heard before 1994 was recorded on a "guitar amp"...or as I like to call them ..."amps" (manufacturers in the 40's, 50's & early 60's typically expected whole bands, including the vocalist to plug into the same amp). Some harp amps are built up from the ground to do a specific job, others are amps that have been proven to work well for harp through personal experience over the years & may have some, or very little modification to make them a viable harp rig. Some "guitar" amps are killer for harp as they come, some might need a few tube/speaker subs (bear in mind, even guitar players sub tubes & speakers), others might need a few caps & resistors changed...there is no one common feature/design/specification that makes one amp a guitar amp or a harp amp...other than the sound it makes when you plug one or other into it.
The best amp for you is the one you like the sound of best & don't struggle to set up & fight feedback with on stage. Audition any prospective purchases, preferably back to back with your current rig.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 8:58 AM
|
hvyj
1854 posts
Oct 12, 2011
8:42 AM
|
@HawkeyeKane: Well, this will undoubtedly be a minority opinion, but I HAVE tried HGs, and SJs and I don't particularly like them. I mean, they're ok, but i wouldn't trade my SRRI for one. The ones I've tried tended to sound a little muddy and less than articulate to my ear. But, i don't like how a Bassman sounds, either, so, YMMV. Never tried an HG 1 or 2, though. But those are very small amps.
I've also tried a Meteor, which is really impressive IF you are after a distorted sound. It has very tight, warm, pleasant, distortion that is very controllable and responsive to technique. But you can't get a clean sound out of a Meteor and I'm not into distortion.
I agree with 5F6H: "The best amp for you is the one you like the sound of best & don't struggle to set up & fight feedback with on stage" Personally, I tend not to use much harmonica specific gear. But then, i don't use bullet mics, either so that may have something to do with it.
|
HawkeyeKane
259 posts
Oct 12, 2011
9:42 AM
|
Ideally, I want something that's gonna give me a fairly wide range of tones without becoming a feedback hazard. I know I can get this out of several different guitar amps, like a Classic 30 or a Blues Jr. But really the only harmonica-intended amp I've seen that looks like it could deliver all the range I want is the Harp Commander 4. I almost messed up last year and tried to by a Hohner Hoodoo Box. Boy am I glad musiciansfriend ran out of stock and I could cancel my order. I've heard almost nothing but bad reviews on it.
But I guess what I'm trying to get clarification on is whether or not most harp amps are gonna be specifically geared toward one specific tone.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
dougharps
113 posts
Oct 12, 2011
9:56 AM
|
I have played through tube and solid state guitar amps, solid state and tube PAs, and boutique harp amps (Meteor and Sonny Jr.), as well as powered speakers.
As noted above, you have to find the sound that works for you. Use the set up that lets you be heard (and hear yourself), and that suits the music you are performing. Use effects as you feel will best express you. Avoid feedback!
The Boutiques seem to do well with bullet mics, and I enjoyed playing through them. However, I found Deak's Bassman reissue and mic to be my favorite setup to get that bullet/tube sound. A friend of mine uses one of Greg's wooden bullets through a 4-10 Super Reverb, and it sounds great, too!
My go to amp for blues gigs is a '61 Gibson Explorer with the tweed circuit (pre-Crestline), but it is just 14 watts, so at times it has to be mic'ed. I usually use either a Fireball-V with a transformer, or a EV-630 High-Z, since I have found I can drive the amp harder without feedback with these mics. I also sometimes use one of 3 tube PA heads I picked up years ago on E-Bay(with a 10-12 cab). The specific mic/amp combination is especially important with tube amps.
I have come to prefer the sound I get with dynamic mics for myself, be it through a tube or solid state guitar amp, or PA. I like the full range of frequencies.
I seem to be moving toward a cleaner sound lately, and have successfully used a Sennheiser 835 with one of Greg's volume controls. I have the volume wide open for vocals, and cut back for cupping the mic with harp.
My most unusual setup is my ultra lightweight "sit in" rig. I have usually used a vocal mic already on stage or the Fireball-V to sit in. However, some bands inviting me to play a set or more kept asking if I had an amp with me. Sometimes the PA channels were all in use. I did not want to drag around vintage tube gear on the possibility I might be asked to sit in.
I bought the ElectroHarmonics 44 Magnum guitar amp, which is the size of a small pedal, and that uses something like a computer power supply.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/electro-harmonix-44-magnum-44w-guitar-power-amplifier
I use it to drive a 10" Eminence 'Lil Buddy speaker I installed in a small cab I bought, originally containing a failed Fender solid state amp having an 8" speaker. The 44 Magnum has smooth distortion when turned past 12 O'Clock. I use an old low output Shure Unishere 858AV high-z dynamic directly into the 44. I surprised Kilborn Alley with this rig, as it is really small, but it cut through over the band despite the relatively loud gear they use. When Deak played with Kilborn Alley he used his 4-10 Bassman RI. I angle the cab almost flat on stage and bounce the sound off the ceiling to avoid the "beaminess" of a loud 10" speaker. It is not the classic Chicago sound, and certainly not the massive sound Deak has, but it sounds surprisingly good. Recently I was told that at times it sounded like a saxophone.
I don't think there is a set up that sounds best for all players, but there are a wide variety of possibilities. It is good to experiment a lot with what you have, trying different mic/amp combinations, and trying different mics with different gear before buying anything new.
To respond to the OP about playing at home, I practice harp without amps usually, but periodically, when no one is home, I try different mics and amps and PA set ups, with and without effects. I think that this kind of practice with different setups helps you learn how to successfully put to use whatever gear you may end up using at a given gig.
----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 10:02 AM
|
5F6H
895 posts
Oct 12, 2011
10:19 AM
|
Think more about the application for the amp, if you need to be loud enough to hang with a regular band from the backline youre really talking fixed bias, 6L6s, multiple speaker array (SJ Avenger/Cruncher, HG50, Super Reverb, Tweed Bassman, Brown Concert, Twin). This kind of amp doesn't always sound great at low volume. It won't matter how sweet your tone is if no one can hear it.
Cathode biased amps tend to have a sweeter envelope, but the trade off is less punch & headroom (These are popular for practice & recording). The Meteor is the loudest cathode biased amp you can buy & will hang with a band off the back line...if you can get away with a lower powered amp then this opens things out.
Fixed bias amps can be fitted with a fixed/cathode bias switch very easily by a competant tech. There are also instructions for fitting a self-split switch at my myspace site ("CFSI") a variation on cathode bias, again can be fitted to fixed bias amps (except PCB amps that have power tube sockets attached direct to PCB boards)
Smaller fixed biased amps like HG Double Trouble, Fender Princeton, Laney LC15, Fender Pro Jr can punch above their weight in a live setting...can be recorded well, but may just sound like a larger amp, just quieter.
Amps typically have EQ controls that you can dial in (some like to dial in/out attributes that they would like to hear...I tend to listen to how tight a dynamic response & note separation you need for you playing style), tube subs can help, but as far as "tone" goes I'd suggest that something that "gives" you a certain tone may quickly become a one trick pony, ideally I think you should be looking for something to project your tone, with warmth & rich harmonics.
Other than envelope(compression, swell & decay) the other major thing that affects tone is typical EQ & mids - if you have a mid control you can dial in/out mids. A less middy tone (mid scooped) tends to sing better & have better fidelity, but may also sound looser. A mid heavy tone can sound grindier, punchier, tighter.
Re read Joe L's post above, his rig set ups are pretty typical for a lot of players in terms of broad type of amp.
Forget phrases like "bullet mic & bassman tone" these things don't really exist (unless we are talking about one specific player through that rig as compared to the same player through something else), a dozen different players through the same amp & mic will still sound different.
----------
www.myspace.com/markburness
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 10:54 AM
|
orphan
90 posts
Oct 12, 2011
10:43 AM
|
@HawkeyeKane
I have the Harp Commander III. I know Ron has improved some things with the HCIV, but I have not tried one. The thing that I like the most with the HCIII, is I can plug into so many amps (tube/SS) without having to keep the volume so low before feedback. That lets me use levels that guitar players use on preamp and power stages that lets the amp be driven. As I was searching for "The Amp", this let me use each amp in different settings and get to know its sound. This worked better for me than just trying it out in a store. Some of the amps I still have, some I sold. I sometimes need/want a clean sound. I wasn't able to find an amp that would be clean and also able to distort the Way I like. Sometimes I like to use a clean amp/distorted amp in stereo. Depends on the the room and the band I'm playing with. Point of this is although the price of some amps, the HCIII helped me "taste" a lot of amps that would have been feedback nightmares without it. A lot of my feedback issues have been resolved through better technique and more experience dialing in amps or swapping tubes.
I agree with 5F6H re: what a good harp amp is.
|
Kingley
1673 posts
Oct 12, 2011
10:58 AM
|
At home I play mostly acoustic harp. When I do amplify it I use either a Pignose 7-100 or a VHT Special 6 depending on my mood. I plug either a JT30 or a 545SD into the amp and use no effects at all.
Over the years I've used numerous amps in live situation sometimes with a delay pedal, but mostly without any kind of effects. When playing live nowadays though I guess I'm real old school. I just use whatever mic they have set up for the vocals and just play direct into the PA using no effects. Occasionally I'll take an XLR to XLR lead and a 545SD with me to plug in the PA. Just in case they don't have a mic available for me to use.
Last Edited by on Oct 12, 2011 11:01 AM
|
HawkeyeKane
260 posts
Oct 12, 2011
12:25 PM
|
@orphan
Yeah, the problem I've had with feedback has always been in the area of adding distortion to my tone. That extra gain in the overdrive makes it feed back like a mother. Seems like the HC4 could remedy this and still be versatile enough to lemme change my tone from dirty to clean if I need it.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
bharper
74 posts
Oct 12, 2011
12:35 PM
|
Newer amps with digital modeling are starting to sound pretty good for harp. Check out the new Fender Mustang III and the Roland Cube 40XL. I've tried them both and the tone was good, much better than I thought it would be. The Cube 40XL (40 watts) is on sale at GC for $219.
|
HawkeyeKane
261 posts
Oct 12, 2011
12:40 PM
|
@bharper
Yeah, my Peavey Vypyr 15 is a modeller. Sounds great in most applications and has only ever broken on me once. Problem is it's underpowered and has no line out, so I have to mic it. But I'm gonna get that modified here soon.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
bharper
75 posts
Oct 12, 2011
1:14 PM
|
Question: Why is a big amp necessary for a medium/big club? Since big clubs (at least the ones I play) all have big sound systems and sound guys who mic up everything, why do you need a big amp?
|
HawkeyeKane
263 posts
Oct 12, 2011
1:30 PM
|
Well, IMHO it's a matter of being self-sufficient. Guitarists will usually have a big cab setup in a medium/big club gig, and even if they do use something smaller, they don't always mic or emulate. Why can't harp players do the same thing? And don't get me wrong, I'm a staunch advocate of having a balanced sound mix on stage and try to avoid being to loud. But there are times when I need extra power on a solo and I don't have it because the majority of my sound comes from the board which was dialed in prior to everybody else playing. In my experience, soundchecks don't always add up to an optimum performance for a harp player.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
hvyj
1855 posts
Oct 12, 2011
1:48 PM
|
Re: Harp Commander.. I was at a jam a few months ago and a guy was playing harp through a bullet mic into an HC and then into the PA. Sounded great. I'd never played through an HC before, and the guy said he'd let me try it. So he plugged my lo-z 545 Ultimate into the XLR input. Sounded like shit. Couldn't get enough volume and i was drowned out by the guitar. Had to unplug from the HC and go directly into the PA and everything was fine.
My conclusion? HC sounds great with a bullet mic, but like so much of the harp specific equipment I've tried it's not very good if you use a high quality XLR style mic.
|
Joe_L
1524 posts
Oct 12, 2011
1:58 PM
|
I own a big amp because I want one and I can afford it. If I could find a nice used early 60's Fender Concert, I would own one of those, too. I liked the brown Fenders.
----------
The Blues Photo Gallery
|
walterharp
723 posts
Oct 12, 2011
2:13 PM
|
I have a wood bullet from greg with a 99H86 white label CR. This goes into a Lone wolf delay, then a bbe optostomp. I use one of two amps. For small gigs or with a trusted sound guy a 1953 Montgomery Ward... maybe 10watts? For medium or outdoors, but not wanting to mic the amp a 5f6a weber kit (59bassman circuit 4x10) turned into a 5f6h with mods mostly suggested by you know who.
I also play through the PA for some songs or parts of songs.
|
Jehosaphat
104 posts
Oct 12, 2011
3:29 PM
|
@hawkeyeBut there are times when I need extra power on a solo and I don't have it because the majority of my sound comes from the board which was dialed in prior to everybody else playing. In my experience, soundchecks don't always add up to an optimum performance for a harp player.
"
The best way i found to solve this (common) problem is have a volume control on your mike.Do the sound check,set up with the VC down a bit and then you have some lee way later on to lift your volume if you need it
|
HawkeyeKane
264 posts
Oct 12, 2011
4:15 PM
|
@Jehosaphat
Guess I shoulda brought that point forward in my last post. I usually DO use a mic with a v/c. And I do try to make sure I have headroom. Unfortunately, my band leader is the one who runs sound, and he has a tendancy to think that when I have it at a good level with headroom during soundcheck, I'm too loud. So he turns me down in the board. He doesn't think about how my volume will be when everyone else is playing. Then later on, he's bewildered when people out in the crowd say they can't hear my harp. I dunno. It's just an ongoing frustration for me.
----------
Hawkeye Kane
|
Jehosaphat
105 posts
Oct 12, 2011
5:48 PM
|
@Hawkeye
Are you bigger than him? ;-)
If your VC is an audio taper you should be able to basically set it at any volume you like ie have it only just on enough for him to think that that is to be your playing volume.Then you have a fair bit more leeway when you get to play.
But yeah it is a pain in the arse to have to resort to these subterfuges ...there is something to be said for making it an issue with him..after all if the audience aren't hearing the harp, that is not the band they came to see and they also probably notice your discomfort on stage.
If you can't hear yourself it can be a real bad experience for sure
I'm sure most of us been there done that a few times
|
Littoral
392 posts
Oct 12, 2011
6:07 PM
|
1. 63 Black Champ -the best small Fender or Gibson I have ever heard (I have many).
2. Brown Concert Jan. 60
Plug in, no effects. Astatic case w/ vintage Shure element.
|
