thorvaldsen76
71 posts
May 07, 2010
6:23 AM
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Hi guys!
I played a gig last Friday and during the soundcheck we had big problems with feed-back on me. I can't afford spending loads of money on equipment so I use an old Dean Markley tube-amp. An old well-used sm57 and a cheap DI-box.
The soundguy told me that he was sure that my amp was the problem so he put a bag around my amp and the mic for the PA-system. And it worked like hell:) there was almost no feed-back. It was one of those bags that the drummer uses to carry his drums.
Anyone else who has tried this to get less feed-back?
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5F6H
112 posts
May 07, 2010
6:31 AM
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How does the DI Box figure in the equation?
Never tried it, or seen it done but a cool trick to have in reserve. I don't think that this would work for everyone, especially if using the amp itself for monitoring on stage. I assume he was trying to isolate your amp from picking up feedback from the harp mic.
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5F6H
113 posts
May 07, 2010
6:33 AM
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Oh, and which model of amp is it, might be a simple way to reduce feedback some (no guarantees), if we can see the schem?
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thorvaldsen76
73 posts
May 07, 2010
6:38 AM
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I have no clue what model it is.. It's an old amp that my brother used for guitar before.. The DI-box is for switching the impedance,if I don't misunderstand..
You're right. He wanted to isolate the amp so I had my own monitor. It won't work if you use your amp as a monitor..
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5F6H
114 posts
May 07, 2010
6:46 AM
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Have you tried an in-line impedance transformer, such as a Shure A95? "DI" boxes vary enormously in design & operation, you only really need a transformer.
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Greg Heumann
434 posts
May 07, 2010
7:38 AM
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The DI box isn't the problem. He mic'd the amp, and he put you in the monitors. This combination is a real feedback nightmare. If you can HEAR your amp, the first thing to do is to tell him to take you out of the monitors - at least the monitor(s) closest to your mic and playing position. If you can't hear your amp, first try to move it up higher and closer to your ear so you can. These are often easier solutions.
However if the stage volume is loud and your amp is small, it can still be difficult. What the sound guy did WORKED, so hopefully everyone is happy. Similar approaches are used in the recording studio sometimes to keep your amp's sound from bleeding into others' mics.
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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barbequebob
795 posts
May 07, 2010
11:09 AM
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Most sound guys, especially the rock sound guys tend to set the monitor volume up too high to begin with and so I usually tell them to NOT put the harp amp in the monitors at all because of the feedback nightmare.
On the other hand, I have run into maybe 5 sound guys in my 30+ years of playing, mostly pro, that could actually have the harp amp in the monitors and not have a feedback problem at all, and the rest of them were usually not too good for harp.
One of those 5 was also a great harp player himself who knew the deal and actually made the house PA sound more like Chess Records!!
Greg's post tho, is really very spot on from my experience.
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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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congaron
867 posts
May 07, 2010
1:41 PM
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With your amp on stage, there is no need for harp in the monitors if the band has a reasonable stage volume. This will generally be determined by the drummer and the lead guitar player and their collective egos, sometimes the bassist as well. If their volumes are excessive, they will get into your amp mic unless you make the type of mods you describe and use the stage monitors to hear yourself.
A sound man can stand firm on monitor levels and require stage volumes that don't out run the Front of house mix. I have been in this situation many times. Guitar players should own attenuators if they are serious about playing with tube amps live and a harmonica player on the same stage. My lead guitar player does and we get along famously.
Controlling the drummers monitor volume usually takes care of the drummer's stage volume since he/she will have to play at a level where they can hear the monitor. Micing the kit is necessary to make that work...or use electronic drums. A good drummer doesn't have to hammer all the time.
There are several techniques to get the harp into the mix and some sound guys just don't know them or never had to do it. I also play wireless and go right out into the audience and make adjustments as needed. Sound guys have always welcomed my input on this. I have only ever been asked to turn up my harp rig and am easily able to do so.
It's all in how you approach it. I can tell you most sound guys will respond better to you if you start soft and then need to turn up, versus starting loud and resisting the need to turn down. This applies to any instrument.
Last Edited by on May 07, 2010 1:43 PM
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slobie
13 posts
May 09, 2010
3:41 PM
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use an eq pedal and it gets rid of feedback instantly !!!!
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gmacleod15
60 posts
May 11, 2010
6:15 PM
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what brand of eq pedal is most often used for harp?
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MBH member since 2009-03-24
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Greg Heumann
446 posts
May 11, 2010
8:30 PM
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An EQ pedal can only get rid of feedback by dialing way down the frequency that feeds back - and a wide swath around it. That's a big tone-altering approach. More sophisticated electronics are indeed smarter (like the Kinder AFB+) but address the other stuff first. The sound guy has a better Eq than any pedal anyway.)
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/Greg
BlowsMeAway Productions
BlueState - my band
Bluestate on iTunes
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