Re: electric harp question

[Bruce Steinberg <bruces@xxxxxxx>]

re:

        If you want to go through a PA system and play through an amp, it's best
        to mike the amp through the PA. This way you're more in touch with your
        own stage sound and don't have to depend on the monitors to hear yourself.
        
        --Kim Field

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While I have no argument with Kim's statement in general, I'd
just like to point out that it doesn't have to be an either-or
proposition. 

Depending on your amp, the sound system (and the empathy and
patience of the sound person ;-), the size and composition of the
band, and the criticality of your "sound" within the band, it's
reasonable to use both your amp's line-out ~and~ an amp mike into
the house mix (or perhaps a sub-mixer under your own control) to
get the best sound and balance both in the house and on stage.

I personally play a lot of R&B charts with a horn section
(usually two saxes and a trumpet, with occasional additions
sitting in -- all house-miked, of course) and, given a choice
between line-out and miked amp, I'd actually prefer line-out to
miking the amp in that situation.  For one thing, in tight
ensemble playing (say, with horns) it gives you more precise tone
control and a cleaner sound through to the house system.

Also, output volume notwithstanding, your own amp can never
really be a true "monitor" if it's only carrying your own playing
(talk about harpists thinking of themselves as "outsiders" ;-).
In the hands of a decent sound person, the stage monitor(s)
should let you hear yourself comfortably balanced in the context
of all the other players -- and particularly in the case of harp,
the vocals -- as an emulation of the house mix out front.  (Of
course, I'm assuming here that the sound system does indeed
provide stage monitoring.)

I actually use a little 12" Champ (with a Bullet) that has a
great sound on its own (and provides great EQ, overdrive, and
reverb control of its line-out signal), but it would be hopeless
as a monitor within a large wall of sound.  And for an amp to be
big enough to provide significant monitoring capability on its
own, it would start to unnecessarily dominate the ambient sound
on at least its side of the stage.

For a "standard" small blues club set-up (assuming you run the
harp amp through the sound system at all, and including the
possibility of poor-to-no house monitor), just miking the amp
makes sense and captures the "real" acoustic output of an
over-driven power amp and speakers, for that fat "Juke" sound.

On the other hand, I've gotten into some serious between-set
"discussions" with house sound guys on the "big-band" gig who
didn't understand why the harp needed to be in the monitor mix at
all -- "[Big-time harp player] doesn't need a monitor when ~he~
plays this club!"  "Yeah, dude, but [big-time harp player] isn't
playing with another lead vocalist, a multi-keyboardist, and
three horns!"

I won't even get into the possibilities of the harp player using
more than one amp at a time (e.g., one dry and bright, one wet
and dark -- Butterfield did this both live and in the studio),
let alone how to choose and balance "direct" versus "mike" for
each, but you get the idea -- do whatever it takes to get the
results you need.  Good luck, B*