Elwood
48 posts
May 07, 2009
6:42 AM
|
I don’t own an amp and am not at all clued up about amplifying my sound.
Say you’re performing live, on a mic that goes straight to the PA (no amp). You’re not singing, so presumably it couldn’t hurt to ask the sound guy to give your sound a bit of character.
What options exist and what qualities do they lend to your sound?
In fact, over and above that question, I’d like to get a broader survey: when you’re performing live, what instructions/requests do you make to the sound guy in general?
|
MrVerylongusername
295 posts
May 07, 2009
7:28 AM
|
It kind of depends what sound you want. If you're using a vocal mic and you want a clean sound, then I'd tell him to treat the harp very much like a vocal channel, it needs a bit of sparkle to sit high in the mix, so a little midrange punch and compression might help and a touch of delay can add some character if the room allows it.
If you want a grittier Chicago style sound, it'll be harder with a vocal mic. Explain that you actually want the channel to clip a bit, so add a bit of gain, boost the low-mids and bass and add a bit of delay. Bear in mind the solid state preamps of a mixing desk aren't going to sound the same as the front end of a tube amp.
If you're using a bullet, make sure he knows that it's a high impedance and unbalanced mic and needs a line input or a DI Box. Never ever try to use an adapter to plug the mic into an XLR socket. Your mic has a 1/4" plug for a reason - to stop you putting it into the holes it's not supposed to go into. If the desk is sending out phantom power one of the 3 pins will be transmitting 48V straight to your mic. With balanced dynamic microphones (e.g. SM58, SM57 etc...) it's not a problem, but with an unbalanced mic it'll effect the sound and if it's a crystal you'll probably fry it - permanently.
Make sure you can hear yourself in the monitors when the band is at full tilt and check that the worst feedback frequencies have been notched out at the soundcheck. (If your soundman thinks a graphic EQ is for making a smiley face then sack him on the spot!)
Last Edited by on May 07, 2009 7:31 AM
|
lumpy wafflesquirt
54 posts
May 07, 2009
9:40 AM
|
the first thing to ask the sound guy is ...... What do you want to drink!
Got to get him on your side.
|
MrVerylongusername
296 posts
May 07, 2009
9:56 AM
|
As someone who's spent a fair bit on the other side of the mixing desk, that is excellent advice Lumpy!
|
Elwood
50 posts
May 07, 2009
10:43 AM
|
Mister VLUN,
For the time being I'd only have access to a vocal mic -- but I would very much like a grittier edge.
No doubt this is the cue for one of our pros to jump in and yell, 'Boy, you want that gritty sound, it's gotta come from your playing, not your sound guy!'
He'd be right. But in the meantime some help from the sound guy couldn't hurt.
|
MrVerylongusername
298 posts
May 07, 2009
10:55 AM
|
Well you can use the gain/trim pot on the channelstrip to overload the preamp. More than likely you'll just end up in feedback hell, but you might be able to get it to clip just enough to give it a little distortion.
but yeah... you already know the real answer.
|
dfwdlg
17 posts
May 07, 2009
11:17 AM
|
Make sure you are in the monitors at the right level. Too soft and you can't hear, too loud and you pull back from your normal way of playing and all manner of bad things can happen.
Doesn't hurt to know what basic effect settings you like so you can ask they be added in (e.g., delay times, type of reverb, etc.)
|
Greg Heumann
30 posts
May 08, 2009
10:38 PM
|
The sound guy can't help you get a gritty sound, nor is it his job, nor does he have the right kind of effects on his board to help you in the first place. He doesn't know about harp mics, or harp amps, and he certainly doesn't know how you want to sound. A harp mic plugged into the PA is going to suck anyway, and generally sounds guys aren't wild about you plugging unfamiliar mics into their system. If you want a clean sound, the vocal mics will be fine. If you share the mic with a singer, warn the sound guy he may have to bring the level down when you play.
You do NOT want to overload a digital / solid state preamp. The results will be HARSH. If you want a Chicago sound, you must either bring your own amp and have him mic it (or use its line out), or barring that bring your own tube preamp, amp modeler or other electronics that you already know will get you the sound you want and have him take his signal from there.
If your suggestions to him go beyond "you might want to take some of the high mids out so it doesn't hurt people's ears" or "would you please add a little compression and reverb" you are more than likely going to a) piss him off and b) be disappointed with the results.
And I totally agree with Lumpy's suggestion about the first question!
Now, when I can go up to the sound guy and say "I'll just play through the vocal mic. Please make me sound like Kim Wilson?" and actually get it..... nah. It ain't gonna happen. Ever.
----------
/Greg
http://www.BlowMeAway.com
http://www.BlueStateBand.net
Last Edited by on May 08, 2009 10:43 PM
|
jawbone
24 posts
May 09, 2009
9:16 AM
|
I have heard Adam mention that when you mic your amp, the mic should be aimed about 45 degrees off the centre of the cone, maybe 3 inches either to the left or right. I can't remember the particulars but it has something to do with a "sweet spot". It's in one of his first videos.
----------
If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
|
