HarpNinja
3745 posts
Feb 10, 2014
6:38 PM
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Seems to be a relevant topic. Here are several riffs played with a SM58 in this order:
Clean
EP Booster
EP + LoneWolf Flat Cat
EP + FC + Tech 21 Blonde
EP + FC + 21 + LoneWolf HarpBreak
I leave the EP and FC always on...then I add the Blonde for amped tones/dirt and the HB ontop of that for really distorted rock stuff.
There is a very low digital delay on everything...forgot to turn if off.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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HarpNinja
3746 posts
Feb 10, 2014
6:51 PM
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Here's all the fun noises:
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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DukeBerryman
149 posts
Feb 10, 2014
8:47 PM
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Thanks - I've always wondered what that EP Booster sounded like. Sounds nice. And cool effects jam
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robbert
274 posts
Feb 10, 2014
9:06 PM
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Mike, I appreciate all the research you are willing to share.
Not being a gear guy at all, this tech stuff is not really my cup of tea, but I'm finding it would be extremely useful to have a full bodied acoustic sound, a crisp dirty sound, the ability to get a convincing organ- like sound, and a bass sound, along with a good selection of reverb/delay, etc. Also, the ability to loop would eventually be handy...probably would be handy now, actually...and all through the PA, much the same way you are set up.
These would be the most useful effects, as the harp plays a number of roles in these mostly acoustic styled groups I'm in.
I can suggest these effects through technique, but they would be greatly enhanced by electronic means.
Wading through the choice of pedals, and effects boxes is truly an effort that requires a good budget and some serious research, much of which you have already done.
Your current set-up sounds great, but might be overkill for what I'm looking for, although everything seems to have it's function.
Would a Zoom G3 or G5 have what I'm looking for effects wise, and looper wise, along with a LW Harp Break, and perhaps a good delay?...I'm using an Ultimate 57 mic or a 58 sometimes into a good PA.
It seems like both the Flat Cat, and the EP booster add significantly to the tone, though...
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droffilcal
62 posts
Feb 10, 2014
10:55 PM
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Thanks for this, very helpful !
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HarpNinja
3748 posts
Feb 11, 2014
6:36 AM
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A Zoom G5 with a 12ay7 tube and a HarpBreak would be an amazing rig. I actually had that very rig, and wasn't gigging much, so eventually I got bored and decided to go with something else.
I sorta regret that choice, but it was going to be bulky carrying the G5 with an additional small board housing the HB and my wireless. That being said, that would be the easiest thing for one to do (and cost effective).
The G5 with the boost on will give you a sound similar to the EP, and the tube provides enough compression to live without a compressor...if you play to a mixer, you'd be good for just about anything. You may find that the 58 doesn't drive the HB enough to get really cranked sounds, though. The 57 might work better for that.
I know people like the Digitech stuff, but it is hard to edit in real time, so I prefer multiple pedals with easy controls.
While I could really do any gig with just three Lone Wolf Pedals - HarpTone, HarpBreak, and V2 Delay, it is fun to have options, lol.
A G5 or G3 will let you get just about any sound you'd every want on the fly. What makes me really go with a full pedalboard is the want to go wireless. If it wasn't for the massive transmitter with a weird power supply, I'd just go with a G5 and not worry too much about dirty tones. I'd maybe get a custom board that was just big enough for the G5 and two pedals...the HB and leave an open space in case I had to have something.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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robbert
276 posts
Feb 11, 2014
6:41 AM
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Thanks for the guidance on this one! I'll begin to put that together, as budget allows.
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HarpNinja
3749 posts
Feb 11, 2014
6:51 AM
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FWIW, I didn't like the stock 12ax7 with the G5. I got a decent new stock 12ay7 in stead. Great cleans:
This has a pitch delay and reverb, but you can hear the cleans, which are awesome.
You're making me want a G5 again, lol.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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robbert
277 posts
Feb 11, 2014
6:55 AM
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Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for the tip on the tube swap and the samples. Your current set-up sounds very good to me and the comparisons at the top of the thread really show the effect each pedal has on the sound.
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HarpNinja
3750 posts
Feb 11, 2014
6:58 AM
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Thanks...here's an old blog on the G5:
http://johnpopperharmonica.blogspot.com/2014/01/zoom-g5.html
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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Moon Cat
345 posts
Feb 11, 2014
10:14 AM
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Your pedal vids are the best. The Flat Cat is very obvious here compared to my videos. Thank you for posting these!
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HarpNinja
3752 posts
Feb 11, 2014
10:43 AM
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You are too kind, Jason!
I have a relatively complicated rig, so it took a while to dial in the Flat Cat, but it is a fantastic pedal! I jump around all over the harp and it really smooths things out. It also keeps my clean tones from being to ice-pick.
And it also helps cover up inconsistent articulation, lol.
I'll try to do just an A/B with the FC as the focus as early as tonight...
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
Last Edited by HarpNinja on Feb 11, 2014 10:44 AM
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robbert
278 posts
Feb 11, 2014
2:22 PM
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Hey Mike,
When you say you could gig with the three LW pedals, does that mean those pedals give you enough tonal range(clean to dirty, etc)and delay effects to produce a choice of voicing for whatever type of song/music you are performing(leaving aside the idea of looping, of course)?
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Greg Heumann
2600 posts
Feb 11, 2014
3:29 PM
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Thanks for this Mike
I really like the repetition of identical, short licks across the various combinations so we can hear them back to back repeatedly - that's a very effective way to demo the difference between stuff.
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BlowsMeAway Productions
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HarpNinja
3753 posts
Feb 11, 2014
7:02 PM
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This isn't nearly as coherent as the SoundCloud stuff, but I FINALLY figured out how to record from my webcam and capture direct audio at the same time!!!
Here is the first go...
I'll come up with some better stuff soon.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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HarpNinja
3754 posts
Feb 11, 2014
7:09 PM
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Argh, sounds so different on YT...YT compresses way too much of the audio and video.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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Barley Nectar
298 posts
Feb 11, 2014
7:26 PM
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I don't know. The FC seems to muffle the sound. I understand what it is suppose to do. I'm just not bonding with it???
I do like the harp break tone though. As a tube amp builder and lover, I am thinking most of these pedals are more suited to a ball mic into the PA. I can get that HB sound simply by playing on the edge then bumping the V knob when you want some drive. I keep reading where straight into the PA is so much cheaper and simpler. I don't see any thing cheep or simple on Mikes board. You could go crazy finding a malfunction.
Nothing personal Mike, you obviously got it together., just not my cup of gravy...BN
Great demos, very logically done. Thanks
Last Edited by Barley Nectar on Feb 11, 2014 7:41 PM
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HarpNinja
3755 posts
Feb 11, 2014
7:30 PM
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Well, it is meant to squish the dynamic range. I have it set pretty light normally, but went to extremes here. Personally, the whole thing sounds shitty on YT compared to when viewing the original video. YT compresses both the audio and video a ton.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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walterharp
1314 posts
Feb 11, 2014
8:00 PM
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Nice demo.. almost seems like the flat cat lends some definition to the notes, but that the harp break takes it back away.
also, it might be hard but maybe find a way to equalize the peak volumes on the recording, it is pretty difficult to hear differences at different total volumes?
it is hard not to think louder sounds better! or more defined or something
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HarpNinja
3756 posts
Feb 12, 2014
3:42 AM
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It definitely adds definition to the notes. The HB takes it away, because I want it to. Look at the settings. The drive is at 100% - that tone should be as heavy guitar-like as I can get.
The Blonde is a more typical amped sound. The FC will effect peak volumes if you don't adjust other pedals in line, which I intentionally didn't.
The easiest way around that is to turn up the level of stuff after it - the Blonde, the mixer, a PA, an amp, whatever.
The less extreme settings have the volume the same as when the pedal is off, which is how I run it. Live I set up the FC, Blonde, and HarpBreak to all be the same level when engaged. I then bump the HB a little bit.
The FC will effect output volume just like any number of pedals.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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HarpNinja
3757 posts
Feb 12, 2014
3:43 AM
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I can easily equalize if I don't worry about video...and after trying this out, the SoundCloud format it much better for critical listening (and general mixing).
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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