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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Synergy on Stage
Synergy on Stage
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Randy G. Blues
151 posts
Jan 22, 2010
10:07 AM
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Last night's jam was really great. I sang probably the best set I have ever sang..
Q: How long have you been singing?
A: What time is it?
It was about my third time playing as a front man, and I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable in that role. At the end of the set the guitar player started up a groove and we jammed for about five minutes, all taking turns at solos, and as we came around again I started singing "Who Do You Love?" and it was awesome.
There is a locally well-known harp player who has his own band. He was there last night and was in the audience for my set. Afterwards we said "hey," and he asked if I would like some advice, and I said sure, and he pointed out a couple of things he thought I could work on- nothing specific, but general musicality issues. it was good advice, to be sure. It was the first time he had done so in the 2+ years we have crossed paths musically, and so I took it as a compliment and an indication of my improvement that he would offer any advice.
At the end of my set he came up and checked out my amp, and we talked on the subject. I am playing a harp Gear HG35, and while I am still getting use to it, I LOVE this amp! I tilt it up with a "Standback" (http://www.standback.net). The mic I used last night was my Audix Fireball V (the one with the volume control built in) through a Lone WOlf Harp Delay, and I play Seydel 1847 Classics. This is a very good combo for me at this time. I was able to stand in front of my amp, about 4 or 5 feet away, and even with the amp at about 7 and the mic all the way up I got NO feedback and it cut just fine. I will probably eventually get a good bulet mic, but for now this works great.
He has a Fender Bassman reissue (4x10) and a bullet mic (unknown element), and plays Hohners. He was saying that my tone would be better with a 4x10. I told him that the HG35 was chosen for price and that it only weighed 34 pounds.. and my bad back.
Finally, to my point... Sound is a synergistic issue. it starts with the diaphragm and ends up with the ears, and everything in between matter. Embouture, the harp you play, the mic and how it is held, the amplifier and its settings, its speakers, and the acoustics of the room, etc., all combine to create "your sound." I listened to his tone last night as I have many times before, and I like my tone better. To my ears, his overall tone is somewhat tinny, lacking in low-middle and bottom end- no "grunt." it sounded somewhat similar whether he was playing in the stage mic or through his own rig. Based on that, I assume that it is a tone he has developed to work with his music and his band, and that's fine.
I bring this up because there have been two recent threads here concerning the purchase of new amps. Talking from some personal experience, having owned 4 amps since I started playing (I admit that this is not much of a cross sample, but stay with me). I started with a Roland Cube60, sold and stepped up to a Genz Benx BP30, Got an Electar Tube10 (which I still have), then sold the Genz and got my Harp Gear. While the Electar makes a nice amp for playing around at home, practicing, small venues (small coffee shops), and home birthday parties, the other two guitar amps were unsuitable, even after retubing the Genz for less gain. None of them come close to the playability, usefulness, and tone that the HG has.
It would be hard to overstate the importance of actually playing on an amplifier before purchase, and to use YOUR microphone to do so. It was how I avoided buying a Fender amp before the Genz purchase. I went into a music store and played one and found you needed the hands of a surgeon to set the volume control to avoid feedback.
The lesson I learned through all this is- if you play harmonica, ask harmonica players about amplifiers. Generally speaking, guitar players do not understand our needs (unless they play harmonica). There is a WORLD of difference between guitar pickups and microphones when plugged into a given amplifier.
I do not work for, nor am I affiliated with an of the above-mentioned companies or resellers.
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NiteCrawler .
19 posts
Jan 22, 2010
6:54 PM
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Hey Randy G,I,m glad to hear your out doin your thing,getting more comfortable and things are starting to come together for you.I havn,t had the pleasure of playing through a harp gear amp but from what I have heard through feedback from owners and seeing clips on line of pros playing through them,I would have to think that although I havn,t heard the player that your speaking of,that he may be a little envious of the tone that your getting out of your rig,especially since by the sounds of it,your somewhat new to the game and you have a great sounding rig. Has his amp been juiced or is it stock?You said his sound was ,tinny,no low end I,d have to think stock.Do you know how long he,s been at it, although that always isn,t the case theres always those special few.I,d say keep on doin what your doin and as long as your happy with your toneand the groove your feeling playing your HG,keep at it.You may want to ask him one of these times if he wants to blow through your rig and see what he says.If he say yes,the rest is just the writing on the wall.
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