RE: [Harp-L] Sometimes ....

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

Rick,
Whatever floats yer boat. We certainly love our pure vintage tube amp raw sound/tone, however, I am of the opinion that our instrument is so limited that I am always looking for anything to change things up, keep things fresh and keep the audience entertained.  I am experimenting every chance I get. The thing for me is that I just have not mastered the use of many of the new options that are out there, therefore those things are not part of my bag of tricks yet. I fully support the advancement of our instrument in whatever way shape or form that works. The only reason that I don't own an RP setup with Richards patch sets is that I purchased a Zoom G92tt before I was aware of what Richard has to offer. Like the RP stuff, the out of the box patches can be programmed. In the past Richard has even given me advice on how to achieve some of the desired effects and I have had mixed results. I plan on continuing to learn more about what it can do for my sound and the quest will never end. My most recent purchase was an Electro Harmonics POG to enhance some of what the Zoom can do. I have learned to use the FX loop to include the POG and recently I have added my old Boss CE2 to the loop and am getting some nice stuff that will soon be part of my rig when I feel the need. I often ponder selling all my crap and buying an RP with the RH patches.
Regards,
Buck Worley
> Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 16:11:36 -0600
> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Sometimes ....
> From: bluesharpamps@xxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> 
> So, you want to save the harmonica by making it sound like a clarinet?  Or
> a trumpet?  Or a Hammond B3?  I'm not sure that is a good plan, or even a
> necessary one.
> 
> When you use processors or effects to make a harp sound like a trumpet, for
> example, it doesn't work.  It does not sound like a trumpet; its sounds
> like what it is:  A processed harmonica.  It is usually not a sound I like.
>  it sounds flanged and phased and EQ'd and compressed and octaved and
> filtered.  If it is well played I will admire the musicianship in spite of
> the sound, but I can't help but ask myself "Why?"
> 
> The harmonica makes a lovely tone, with a breadth of variations and nuances
> created through skill and technique. I don't have any fear that it is in
> danger of dying out.  The young guns are coming along, and they are
> excellent.
> 
> -Rick Davis
> 
> 
> 
> On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 3:49 PM, Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> 
> > Michael Rubin wrote:
> > >No clarinet in modern music?  You must live up North.
> >
> > I live up North on Planet Earth, which is the place where clarinet hasn't
> > been featured in any band I've heard in the last 30 years.
> > I suppose it's possible that there's a teeny little pocket on the planet
> > where every band features a clarinet.  It might be the same teeny little
> > pocket where every band features a harmonica, too.  I sincerely wish that
> > the second teeny little pocket was as big as the planet, but it's not, and
> > that's the point.
> >
> > Doesn't it scare anyone besides me that none of the top ten bands in
> > Nashville, which used to be a pretty good town for harmonica, has a
> > fulltime harmonica player?  That's a change from the previous 25 years, and
> > it's not the right kind of change from my point of view.
> >
> > It's time to change the game.  Acting as if the game hasn't changed
> > doesn't help when everybody else's game has changed.
> >
> > There are other ways to change the game besides altering the sound of the
> > instrument, of course.  At this point I don't think anything should be
> > ruled out.
> >
> > Thanks, RH
> >
> >