Re: [Harp-L] kickin' it up a notch

["Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In my experience, overdrive units intended for guitar have one 
profound effect on harp: FEAMING SCREEDBACK!  

Here's what I do: I use a two-channel tube preamp with variable tube 
blend controls for each channel.  I keep one channel set to mostly 
solid-state (clean) with the output set relatively low, which drives 
a lower volume out of the amplifier.  I have the second channel set 
to high tube overdrive, and the output level set up significantly 
higher (though not high enough to clip the amplifier inputs or the 
effects in between).  I use an A/B pedal to switch back and forth 
when I am playing background/fills and when I step up for a solo.  
It's an elaborate setup, but it works well.  

If you're running through a classic tube amplifier this option isn't 
so easy to implement, unless there are two channels that can be 
configured independently.

-tim


john kuzloski wrote:
> The guitar player in my band steps on some kind of 
> overdrive pedal (sometimes) during a solo, and it 
> really kicks it up a notch (some of it is volume/some 
> of it is crunch).  I'm wondering what some of the 
> amped players on the list do to similarly kick it up 
during a harp solo.  Lately, I have been using one of 
> Greg Heumann's volume controls -- playing it mostly 
> at maybe 80% and turning it to 100% if I want to kick 
> it up a notch.  This works pretty well.  When 
> appropriate during solos, I also just play a bit more 
> aggressively/dramatically, and that also works prety 
> well.  
>  
>   Nevertheless, I don't think the change is as dramatic 
as the guitar players pedal.  And, like I said, it's not 
> all about volume, some of it is just kicking to a 
> higher level of overdrive.  The general consensus seems 
> to be that overdrive pedals are not harp friendly.  
> Turning amp volume up will typically also kick up the 
> overdrive, but the amp may or may not be right there, 
> and I don't necessarily want to be tweaking the amp mid-
> song -- for performance/appearance reasons I guess.
>    
>  This is not a huge problem because, like I said, the 
> volume control and playing adjustments work pretty well.  
> I'm just wondering about others' experience/approaches.  
> (Do any pedals work well for this?  I have an EQ pedal 
> that I rarely use -- it has a gain and volume control on 
> it -- I bet I could set that a bit hot and just step it 
> on once in awhile.)