Martin
763 posts
Jan 13, 2015
11:52 AM
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For those of you who are familiar with Roy Buchanan (and if you´re not and interested in the blues: check him out right away, that´s an order) and those other guitarists (e.g. Jeff Beck) who in his succession do things with the volume puts on the instrument while hitting a note, I wonder --
is it possible to achieve something worthwhile if you have a volume control on the microphone and fiddle with it while blowing?
I can´t recollect that I´ve heard anything of that sort from a harmonica player, and obviously my mics are not equipped with volume knobs or I would have tested it.
Maybe it´s an effect that´s idiosynchratic to strings -- but I don´t really know.
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NathanLWBC
33 posts
Jan 13, 2015
12:22 PM
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A volume pedal could also work for that (there's a bunch of really cheap ones out there). I'm just thinking it may be easier to let your hands focus on playing and let your foot do the rocking back and forth. That's how guitar players usually do stuff like that.
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--Nathan Heck
Lead Technician, Lone Wolf Blues Co.
customerservice@lonewolfblues.com
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HarpNinja
4000 posts
Jan 13, 2015
12:23 PM
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I used to play with a guitar player that was a huge fan of Roy Buchanan. He had a similar guitar and I personally think a lot of his body language when holding the guitar is even similar.
He would do swells like that all the time. There is also a flashy thing up and down the neck he borrowed from Roy too.
I bring this up as it naturally led me to wanting to try the swells. I found that it never really sounded as cool and it sounded better - but not the same as guitar - to use my breath control.
I'd like to say I have an audio clip handy, but I dont'.
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Mike
My Website
My Harmonica Effects Blog
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walterharp
1579 posts
Jan 13, 2015
12:51 PM
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i play with a guitar player that uses this technique and the closest i could get was going from a tight cup to a looser one which drops the volume and changes tone, but you can keep blowing to get that sustain effect
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TetonJohn
230 posts
Jan 13, 2015
12:59 PM
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The cool thing about the guitar effect is that you don't hear the initial pluck of the string, just the swell of the sustain. I don't think that applies very much to the harmonica -- no pluck. And I think there is volume control available with harmonica that doesn't need a VC dial (or pedal). Happy to hear other opinions though.
(Edit: I was lucky to get to see Buchanan on 14th St. in NYC!)
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Jan 13, 2015 1:02 PM
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HawkeyeKane
2678 posts
Jan 13, 2015
1:09 PM
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Jeff Beck is notorious for using his volume knob to create a tremolo effect on his guitar. I used to fiddle with my volume knob in this fashion when I was using my Retro Rocket, but I could never get the hang of it enough to produce anything worth writing home about.
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Hawkeye Kane - Hipbone Sam
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CarlA
649 posts
Jan 13, 2015
1:24 PM
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It might have been the sound quality of the video, and I am sure it probably sounds great live, but that clip irritated me to no end.
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Harpaholic
582 posts
Jan 13, 2015
4:45 PM
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Eddy Van Halen actually incorporates Bourn low friction volume pots on his line of guitars for the purpose of lighting fast and smooth volume swells. There equipped on all the models he sells. The pots are sold separately for people that want to replace their stock pots.
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Martin
764 posts
Jan 14, 2015
5:48 AM
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Of course -- a volume pedal! Kinda stupid of me not to think about it, since I own one ... (but that´s the big advantage of a forum such as this).
Will try it out next time I´m in the proper environment.
@CarlA: Roy B had a tendency to over-use some of his effects, I admit. He shouldn´t be judged on this though, he could play the blues like the best. Plenty of instances of that on YT.
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Barley Nectar
599 posts
Jan 14, 2015
6:14 AM
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I use the VC as an effect at times. Sounds pretty cool when used in tempo on spacy tunes. This is different than varying your attack or your cup. I usually put the VC on the end/point of the bullet mic so I just run it with my pinky. Remember, any and all tricks apply if you can get a grip on them...BN
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barbequebob
2817 posts
Jan 14, 2015
10:38 AM
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Actually, Buchanan got the idea of using the volume controls for swells came from listening of two jump blues guitarists who were the first to do this back in the late 40's and early 50's, and that's Bill Jennings and Tiny Grimes.
To do a swell on harp, I basically listened to the way jump sax players tend to do it and they always start out playing the note SUPER SUPER soft and most harp players never do that at all and even learned to use dynamics with the swell from listening and watching them whenever possible.
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Sincerely,
Barbeque Bob Maglinte
Boston, MA
http://www.barbequebob.com
CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
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dougharps
813 posts
Jan 14, 2015
10:47 AM
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I have heard some guitarists use volume control to great effect, sometimes mimicking pedal steel. For my own purposes I prefer varying attack and volume via breath control and cupping technique when playing harp. I just use the volume control to set a level and to manage playing close to the edge of feedback.
However, if you have a volume control, go ahead and try it! A volume pedal might be simpler though, as you could more easily maintain your cup when adjusting volume.
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Doug S.
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