Re: Harp Dynamics

["Larry Pratt" <LPratt@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jp wrote:

Hey y'all,

.......... what do you guys do from song to song to keep the sound from
being monotonous?......... some songs i'll play diatonic, others
chromatic. most i play in 2nd, one or two i'll play in 3rd. most i play
amplified, one i play acoustic into a vocal mic. but when i play amped,
my sound is mostly always the same...............guitarists have all
kinds of knobs and pedals to change their sound, or they maybe switch
guitars. the keyboard player goes from player-piano to Hammond with the
flip of a switch. what about us? what do YOU do? different mics? switch
amp settings? do go from 'clean' to 'dirt' just by using your technique?
do you have any secrets you'd be willing to share? just tryin to extend
the palette,

Hey Jp...............I think you've answered your own question pretty
well.  Changing from diatonic to chromatic, changing positions, going
from amplified to acoustic.  I do these same things and all will affect
the dynamics of the harp music being played over the course of an
evening.  My band plays what I call "blues through a jazz prism" 
(alright, take your fingers out of your throats!)  Suffice to say we
range from blues ala Chicago, West Coast Jump to jazzy tunes by Billie
Holiday, Miles Davis and a wonderful singer from NOLA named Ingrid
Lucia.  

I move the amplified tone around by changing mics from a CR element for
"dirt" and blues to a ceramic element for "clean" jazzier numbers.  I'll
also switch my amp (Fender Blues Deluxe) from Drive to Clean settings. 
I don't like changing the settings on my amp.  I'm usually on the brink
of feeding back, so I like to set and leave it.  I have shied away from
a collection of pedals, but I'm sure others use them a lot and to great
effect.

Best Regards to All,

Larry Boy Pratt
www.parkhousejam.com