Re: Auto-Wah for Harp

["G." <gigs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<quote>
Date: Wed, 29 Oct 2003 19:50:01 -0000
From: "Tim Moyer" <wmharps@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: Auto-Wah for Harp

I'm trying to wipe away any vestiges of the harp sound and leave
something that sounds like a synth trumpet.  I'm thinking that an
overdriven tube preamp run into an envelope filter, followed by
chorus and octave effects will leave pretty much nothing sounding
like a harmonica coming out of the speakers...

- - -tim ;-)
</quote>

Well, with that awesome amp you're certainly well on your way.

Richard Hunter loves autowah and through his search for good autowah he has
told me the best autowah he's ever got is from his Digitech RP100.  That
said he finds the reverb and echo effects on the Digitech weak.  There are
some very cool Digitech effects devices available other than the amp
simulator which may be more appropriate for your rig.

Richard has interviewed Lee Oskar a month or two ago about his rig, well
worth checking out since Lee is someone who thinks outside the box and at
the same time only interested in what sounds really musical... unfortunately
the interview isn't on his site yet.

I think the Line6 echo & reverb is pretty good, but Behringer have better
technology out and use 24 bit processing instead of 16 or 20 bit and
therefore achieve smoother and more convincing effects... at some point I'll
check those out.
In the meantime I've sold my POD and trying to move away from digital units,
got someone designing a decent outboard true spring reverb unit for me early
next year.  And I'm keeping an eye on the tape echo market, theres a couple
out there that look very promising.
That reminds me, check out Jim Dunlop, they sell a rack unit DCR-1SR Crybaby
Rack with expression pedal DCR-1FC Crybaby Rack Foot Controller which is
completely programable for all kinds of Wah effects.
http://www.jimdunlop.com/electronics/crybaby.html

If you really want to take out any trace of harmonica tone from your sound,
get yourself an envelope filter and ring modulator!  I'm pretty taken by the
look of what MEGASONIX offer
http://www.metasonix.com/
TM-1 Vacuum-Tube Wave shaper and Ring modulator
and TM-2 Vacuum-Tube Bandpass Filter

Not to mention one of those fancy devices that Cher and Madonna use on some
of their latest songs and all the pop stars have started to use lately to
keep themselves in tune and get wick interval leaps in their singing even
though they are in reality sliding up or down between.

Actually if you are really keen you should just forget the rest and get
yourself a decent Evantide unit.  :-)
http://www.effectsdatabase.com/manufacturer/32/

Best regards,
G.
http://www.angelfire.com/music/harmonica/amplified.html