Re: electric vs acoustic



Personally I would change the subject line to "electric AND acoustic",
not vs... 

alciere@xxxxxxxxxxxx schrieb:
> 
> I never practice amplified harp. Don't like it. Disturbs the family because
> it's too loud

I often practice amplified harp with headphones plugged in a small
amplifier, makes not more noise than playing acoustically.

> Aside from holding a microphone and not using hand vibrato I don't
> find there's any real difference except volume.

I'd like to disagree. There is much more difference than only the
volume.
 
> I use a real loud clean amp-no effects-no reverb.

Aha! Maybe that is one reason that makes you think that there is no
difference. 

> I get the distortion, when
> I want distortion, from the harp. The amp makes the distortion louder and
> cuts a little of the highes. 

Okay, I know that here are players who pretend that equipment doesn't
mean anything. I have learned on this list that a good player doesn't
need an amp, he can play directly into the board and sound always
Chicago-like...I suppose he could do this also without a microphone and
probably even without a harp, maybe a pitch pipe would be enough. Well,
I am in doubt...I don't believe it, because I have seen one of "The
Great Tone Monsters" live on stage without an amp, and this was one of
my biggest disappoinments ever!

> If you play in a band you don't want a lot of
> distortion and reverb. 

well, sometimes I want!

>  Makes everything muddy.

One of our songs is called "In The Mud!" ;-)

> >more on practicing electric
> > If you practice plugged in, is it because you dig the cool distorted sound,

Yes, I do, but not only the distorted sounds, also the modulating sounds
and...

> > or are you practicing some kind of technique? 

Yes, different sound settings require different techniques. This is the
main reason to practice amplified and with effects. You cannot simulate
this by playing acoustically.
I have made an astonishing experience: if I am going through all the
presets of my Boss VF-1, each new setting influences my playing: it
adapts or suits to each new preset, I am discovering new things that
only fit to this special preset, makes me play totally other things than
5 minutes before...Then I have also the chance to change the settings
and to try it, so that it is better for harp.
How could I do this without using those little helpers? 

Most of the time I am practicing acoustically, simply because it is
easier, and because I know, that it is good enough to improve for a lot
of things like tone, speed, vibrato...and so on...where you really don't
need an amplified sound. But often I need it to go alone into the band's
rehearsal room or to wear the headphones at home...Not everyone's
business, I know, but mine...

Otto

PS: Jimmy, you have asked some good questions to this subject and
therefore I was answering to your messages. This doesn't mean that I had
the intention to struggle with you. In fact, I am always reading your
messages with great interest and I think that you have a lot of good
things to contribute to this list. This time we have some different
points, but I think this happens within the best families too. :-)





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